


Remembering Me, Remembering You

by GenderFluidIntake



Series: Anger Is An Acid [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Assassination, Blood and Violence, Conditioning, Drinking & Talking, F/F, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Nightmares, Past Relationship(s), Recovered Memories, Vigilantism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-26
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2018-11-05 00:08:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 117,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenderFluidIntake/pseuds/GenderFluidIntake
Summary: Widowmaker, the specter of King's Row, the grim reminder that one of the brightest lights of the Omnic movement had been snuffed out. A threat to the free world, a threat to the good citizen, and as her guilt catches up with her, a threat to herself.A chance meeting with an irate Tracer will change all that, in ways that neither of them will see coming, affecting people in ways no one could have predicted.One thing is certain, by the time the dust settles, nothing will ever be the same again.





	1. Chapter 1

Kings Row was as empty as it always was, the unrest following Tekhartha Mondatta's assassination killed dozens, and injured hundreds. The innocent inhabitants, omnic and human alike, were holed up behind barred windows and locked doors, many of them taking Mondatta's beliefs to heart. That was Mondatta, bringing people together even in death. It was just a shame that it was brought about by fear, rather than harmony.

Now the only people out on the streets after dark were either under extreme protection, or were intent on hurting others, whether for revenge, for fun, or for a price. The woman standing on the rooftop in the pouring rain, not twitching a muscle despite the freezing temperature, was the latter. She did not feel the cold, was not actually capable of feeling much to be honest, but right now she was fully capable of feeling irritation.

Widowmaker clucked her tongue, "England..."

She sat attentively, rifle pointed to a bar sitting on the outskirts of the Row, far enough in to appreciate the classical aesthetic of the environment, but close enough to the exit to make an escape if needed. Her target was smart enough to pick such a location, yet arrogant enough to think that he would encounter no trouble heading into the epicenter of racial disharmony that the Row had become, a change that she herself had instigated. Normally, even through the muted emotional responses that she experienced she would have still felt a tiny ounce of joy at the prospect of snuffing out a life such as that, yet as she sat here, attention split evenly between the window of the bar and the drop of water sliding down the side of her neck and onto her collarbone, she only felt a growing sense of anger. Anger at the arrogance that someone would have to show to walk headlong into an at times almost literal war zone with their head held high. Anger that someone could sit in a bar and pretend that the state of the world did not affect them, that the day could go by business as usual, sitting and drinking expensive cocktails while not 100 feet away an innocent omnic was being beaten to death in an alleyway. Anger that people like him could sit by and think that whatever they did was for the good of the world, even as the world burned because of them.

She knew that that would seem hypocritical coming from the woman who murdered the omnic idol, but she was simply doing a job. Talon told her to kill him, so she did, just like someone paid her to kill this man, so she will. This man helped pass a bill that once again restricted omnic rights almost to the pre-war era, and believed every step of the way that he was in the right. True believers disgusted her, so assured that their way was right, that anything they did in service of their goal was justified, so much so that they would damn themselves and their comrades to hell if they thought it would win them the battle. Foolish, and arrogant. She thought she would enjoy killing this man.

But the thing that most angered her, she noted growling into the air, was that _fucking_ drop of water. Her resolve broke and she threw her rifle down beside her, bringing her hand to her neck so suddenly that the noise of the rain was broken by a staccato clap.

" _England_ ," She growled to herself, "And its goddamned rain."

She sighed, before she saw red and slammed her fist into the ground, the impact leaving a dull pain trailing up her arm. This had been happening more and more lately, periods of uncontrollable anger that were only silenced by the taking of a life. Anger wasn't all she felt however, the thing she noticed whenever her mind traveled to Mondatta was an empty feeling that she couldn't put her finger on at first. When she asked Reaper (Who was much more expressive than he thought he was, that mask helped nothing), she could hear his eyebrows raising in surprise when figured out the answer.

"Guilt?" He'd growled, not out of anger, so much as that was just what his voice sounded like now. Rather, he sounded concerned, afraid even, as if he knew something she didn't.

Of course, there was a limit to her guilt. Small regret at having killed Mondatta and plunging King's Row into chaos? Sure, enough to accept a job to eliminate a loathsome little man attempting to use the chaos to spread a horrifically racist agenda. Not enough to reveal that it was in fact the notorious Widowmaker who took the shot in the first place, and certainly not enough to turn against Talon, who she was not so blind as to not see were the ones who gave the order in the first place. She had loyalty after all, and Talon were her benefactors. Generous benefactors at that, if the quarters she was issued and the resources provided to her were any indication. No, her guilt was limited to eliminating elements making an unpleasant situation worse, not improving the situation itself. After all, Talon didn’t tell her _not_ to take this job, and what they didn’t know couldn’t hurt them.

So, when she heard the tell-tale pop and the stench of burning ozone, she smiled despite herself. Here was someone who could force her to take her anger and focus it, put it into every punch and kick she threw, every bullet she fired, she did so look forward to their fights. The chipper Brit had a quip for every encounter, an attitude that was so positive that Widow was positive it was faked, yet infectious enough that she found herself smiling on occasion. They hadn't encountered each other since the night of the assassination, so this was an itch that was more than overdue to be scratched.

Though she knew that Tracer had come here to fight, she was still taken by surprise by the fist that cracked against her cheek when she turned, even more so by the look of abject fury on the shorter woman's face. "You!" Tracer all but snarled at Widow, who was currently in the process of picking herself up off the ground. "How dare you show your face here again!" She threw another punch at Widow, but she was prepared enough now that she easily deflected it, throwing an elbow into Tracers ribs and shoving her back.

"I am here to do a job, _Cherie_ ," She cooed at the shorter woman, "Why are you here exactly?" She moved her arm up to block a left hook, seeing too late it was a feint. A furious right cross smashed into her nose, throwing her head back and filling her eyes with tears. Tracer did not hold back, pressing the advantage she threw another two shots into Widowmaker's side, easily dodging a desperate haymaker and throwing her head into the Widow's temple.

"You. Know. Why. I'm. Here!" She grunted between punches, Widow able to block more now that her vision cleared, but Tracer was still fast. Almost supernaturally so, and she hadn't even used the accelerator yet. "This is your fault!" Tracer threw a wild haymaker in her anger, Widow finally seeing an opportunity. She grabbed her wrist and threw her over her shoulder, her hip connecting painfully with the concrete roof. She twisted the wrist viciously, feeling something snap when she twisted it just far enough. Tracer let out a scream that seemed to echo strangely at the end, and suddenly Widow felt two feet slamming into her back and sending her slamming into the wall.

_Bien sûr, her recall_. She turned just in time to see the furious woman charging at her, barely avoiding her onslaught of punches and kicks, her energy seemingly tripled with her anger.

"Why did you kill him?" She asked with tears in her eyes, "How could you?" Her breath shot out of her lungs when Widow caught her with a hook into her ribs.

"It. Was. My. Job." She spat the words out through clenched teeth, hammering Tracer's side with punch after punch. This was nothing like their other fights, there was no joy here, this was just making her angrier. "Grow up!" She grabbed Tracer by the back of her head and pulled her towards her, stepping out of the way and bouncing her head off the wall. She stood with her forearm pressed against her throat, one movement would end their fights forever, but she didn't move. Not yet.

Tracer looked at her with tears in her eyes, streaming down her face and mixing with the blood flowing from the side of her head. "What happened to you? You used to be one of us."

Widowmaker screwed her eyes in confusion. " _Qu'est-ce que tu racontes_? I've never worked for you."

Now it was Tracer's turn to be confused, dropping any anger that she still held onto, "What are you talking about luv? We were friends."

Widow scoffed, "Friends? I hardly think so _Cherie_. I think I would remember a mistake like that."

She never thought Tracer would look as hurt as she did then. "Mistake? Is that what we were Amelie? Is that all it ever was?"

Widow felt a sharp pressure in the back of her skull, enough to make her screw her eyes shut and exhale in pain, "What was that? What did you do?" She slammed Tracer against the brick, forcing a yelp out of the girl. "What did you do?!"

Tracer's face went from confusion to shock, "Amelie, what..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence before Widow dropped to her knees and screamed in pain, clutching the sides of her head. The pain was like a hot spike being forced through her brain, the pressure on the back of her eyes made her want to claw them out of their sockets.

Images flashed through her head, no order, no logic to them at all. A dance theatre in Paris, a stunned brunette in the front row. A sunset on the beaches of Ilios, a hand clasped around hers, the same brunette looking at her with a smile so bright it would put the sun to shame. A tall man dressed in a tuxedo, standing at the front of a packed church, the smile on his face crinkling his moustache. A smoking gun in her hand, her looking down on the same man, the top of his head split open and leaking over the bed sheets. A mirror, a woman like her staring back at her, her skin a doll-like ivory rather than the blue she was used to. The images forced their way through her head with alarming speed, each one somehow more painful than the last.

She forced herself to her feet and slammed her fist into Tracer's cheek. "What was that?!" She punched again at her, Widow's fist connecting with the brick when she blinked behind her, she roared in anger.

Tracer stood with her hands out, all pretence for this fight lost by now. "Please, Amelie..." The name shot another spike of pain through Widow's head, she turned and shot towards Tracer, tackling her to the ground.

"Stop! Saying! That! Name!" She punctuated each word with a fist into Tracer's face, she managed to block two but the ones that connected put her in a daze. Her head lolled back and pressed against the ground.

Her next word came out as little more than a whisper, "Amelie..."

All the energy sapped out of Widow and she leant back on her knees. "Who is Amelie?"

Tracer's eyes widened and she tried to sit up, but found that her body didn't want to obey her, the beating she dished out and took having taken a toll.

Widowmaker stood, all enjoyment she may have gotten out of this fight a distant memory, now essentially running on auto pilot. _Of course, the target._ She walked slowly over to where her rifle lay, gathering it up and sighting the man through the scope. She barely even registered pulling the trigger before the rifle kicked against her shoulder. The bullet travelled across the Row, smashing through the window and tearing its way through the man's throat. He collapsed on the ground as the other patrons panicked and attempted to help, but it would be of no use. He would die painfully, messily on the stained floor of the bar, wishing for someone to help him, but no one could. The thought should have given Widow some semblance of satisfaction, happiness even, but instead she felt hollow.

She tracked her way over to Tracer, her rifle thumping clumsily against her leg. She stood over the prone woman, her concern evident on her face even now. Even when it mixed with fear as Widow brought the rifle up and aimed it at her forehead that concern was still present.

Widowmaker tried to will herself to pull the trigger, to eliminate this nuisance once and for all, but she couldn't do it. She was shocked to feel tears welling in her eyes and flowing down her cheeks, falling and landing on Tracer's face, who’s shock mirrored her own.

"Oh luv, what’d they do to you?"

More images flew through Widow's mind, a dance, that same brunette leaning into her shoulder. The girl with her head thrown back from her, both clearly in the throes of passion. A fleeting touch as the girl walked towards a plane. That same plane disappearing in a flash of light and an explosion of metal and glass.

Widowmaker's eyes widened, she looked down at that same girl lying on the roof below her. "You?"

Tracer inhaled sharply, she didn't see Widowmaker staring at her right now. For the first time in seven long years, she saw Amelie. "Yeah luv, it's me."

Widow dropped the gun to the roof with a clatter, her hands shaking too badly to hold onto it any longer. "Who was I?"

Before Tracer could answer she turned and fired her grapple, flinging herself away from the girl, away from the source of this pain that she now felt.

Tracer threw her hand out futilely. "Luv, wait!" It was too late, she was gone. She fell back and let the rain cover her. "Amelie, please... Come back." She let the tears flow freely down her face.

“Please… Come back to me.”


	2. Chapter 2

Tracer wasn’t in much of a state to do anything, much less walk to her apartment. But as the rain soaked her through more and more it was obvious that she couldn’t just stay out here all night, as wonderful a distraction from her thoughts that would be. Slowly, shakily, she dragged herself to her feet, fighting the wave of nausea that washed through her when she straightened, and started step by step across town.

"Times like these," she thought, "really think I should be a tad less impulsive." Indeed, she hadn't gone out tonight looking for a fight, though most nights they often found her. If she looked down into the alleyway she would have seen the carton of milk and the box of eggs that she threw down when she saw the silhouette of the familiar sniper, but such things were long since forgotten. Instead, reaching up and pressing her fingers to her busted open lip, she could only think of one thing.

"Bloody ‘ell, Em's gonna kill me."

 

There never was a dull moment when dating an Overwatch Agent, deactivated though they may be. Things often flipped from the insane to the normal within the blink of an eye, so often that Emily never woke up expecting the same plan for the day. If it wasn't a secret mission, it was a candle lit dinner on the roof. If it wasn't a quiet night at the pub, it was loudly and very publicly defending an Omnic from a street gang. And if it wasn't knocking on the door with a bouquet of flowers in her hand, it was Tracer loudly and limply falling through their open window onto the carpet.

"Lena!" Emily shot up from the couch where she was half way to sleeping, dinner going cold on the table ever since Lena decided she needed to pick up the groceries she could have easily gotten the next morning, or the next. Ever the impulsive one, Emily found herself musing, even as she ran over and turned the fallen woman over in her arms.

"Oh shite, what've you gotten yourself into now?" She worriedly ran her hands over Lena's face, brushing over her split lip and gashed temple, relieved that there was nothing bleeding too heavily. She jumped as Lena groaned loudly and weakly swatted at her hands, her hands now content to run their way through her girlfriends soaked hair.

"Emmmm..." Lena looked at her with half lidded eyes, "Jus' lemme sleep."

Emily was torn between wanting to smile and wanting to scowl, and rather unfortunately for Lena, scowling won by a landslide.

"Sleep? _Sleep_? _That's_ what you have to say?" Emily lightly swatted at Lena's shoulder, "What the hell happened to you?"

Lena looked to the side and seemed to almost deflate, she hated it when Emily was upset, but thinking about why she was here like this made her fell almost... hollow. When she looked back at Emily her eyes were swimming with tears, "Em... I saw Amelie..."

Emily scoffed and hung her head, "Right, of course. Of course it was Widowmaker that..."

Lena cut her off, "No! I didn't see Widowmaker, not tonight."

Emily looked at her in confusion, "Then who did..."

Tears were flowing down Lena's face now, "Luv, I'm telling you, I didn't see Widowmaker. It was _her_. It was..." She choked on the last word, "It was Amelie."

Emily's eyes widened with realization, "... _Oh_. Oh dear."

 

Lena had been moved to the couch, after the initial shock of the confession, Emily went into full support mode, fetching a wet towel and plasters from the bathroom. She was now sat directly in front of her girlfriend, delicately pressing the towel into her cuts to blot the blood still flowing out, lips pursed in concentration with her tongue poking out slightly, which Lena could not help but find helplessly adorable. She hissed as Emily pressed harder into her temple, breathing a sigh of relief as she took the towel away and replaced it with a plaster.

"So," Emily began, "You saw Amelie for the first time in... Seven years?" Lena nodded, "Seven years. Now," Emily looked Lena square in the eye, "Was that before or after she beat the absolute bollocks out of you?"

Lena looked sheepish, "I got some good hits in too..."

Emily flicked her in the forehead, "Really not the point right now pet."

Lena sighed, "After. She got me up against the wall and was really pissed at me. I called her Amelie and she just... dropped."

Emily arched an eyebrow, "Dropped?"

"Yeah, dropped. She started, like, grabbing at her head," She winced, "It looked painful. _Really_ painful."

Clucking her tongue, Emily ran her thumb across Lena's split lip, "I don't imagine she was very happy about that."

Lena huffed a brief laugh, "No, she wasn't. Beat the piss out of me and then shot the bloke she was there to kill."

Emily hummed in recognition, "Saw him on the news, he was a real piece of work. I know this might sound horrible, but between you and me you might want to thank Amelie next time you see her." She looked at Lena's shocked expression, "What? Food for thought. Anyway," she nudged Lena with her foot, "You were talking, I interrupted sorry."

She didn't want to tell her the next part, but she didn't want to lie about something like this, "She was gonna shoot me, had the gun to my head and everything." Emily's eyes widened in horror, Lena squeezed her hand hard, making sure the message got through loud and clear. _I'm still here, I'm fine, we’re ok._ "I thought maybe that was it. But then she... Didn't do anything. She just started crying, I don't know if she even noticed. But she dropped the gun. Em..." She sniffed and fought tears back again, "She _remembered_ me."

Emily drew her into her arms and rubbed her hand up and down her back, "Oh love," Lena started shaking with silent sobs, "It's alright, just let it out."

"Em I..." Lena tried to look her in the eye but couldn't manage it, "I love her, I don't think I ever stopped. I'm sorry I never told..." She choked again and Emily squeezed her tightly, "If I told you that I loved her once then that meant it was over, and I couldn't... I didn't want to admit that she was gone." She forced herself to look into Emily's eyes, forced herself to keep talking, "I'm sorry I never told you, are you mad at me?"

Emily chuckled, Lena looked at her in utter confusion, “What... Why are you laughing luv?”

Emily looked at her warmly, “Pet, I know you still love her, I always knew, you never had to say anything. It was obvious the way you talked about her.”

Tracer placed her hand on Emily’s, “I never lied about loving you though, I want you to know that.”

Emily squeezed her hand, “Lena, I’m not an idiot, I know what you felt, still feel is real, every morning I wake up to see you, every kiss you give me before you leave, every time our eyes meet, I know that it’s real. Don’t ever think you have to prove that.”

Lena pressed her lips into Emily's, deciding that she didn't have any words to describe how lucky she felt to have this amazing woman loving her. After a few minutes, during which Lena had to fight the more primal urges that Emily always awakened in her, she pulled back, suddenly unsure again.

"But what... What does this mean now? Does this change anything between us?"

Emily kept running her thumb along Lena's cheek, something that always calmed her down, made her feel more grounded. "I don't see why this would change anything. You loving her doesn't change how you feel about me, or how I feel about you." She chuckled softly, "All things being fair she did have you first."

Lena couldn't help herself from laughing softly, muttering to herself, "Oh _boy_ did she..."

Emily had a devious gleam in her eye, “You'll have to tell me about that sometime, but right now I think we have more important things to focus on."

Lena sobered, "Right, yeah. I don't even know where to begin."

"Well it's safe to say that dating is definitely not the first thing on her mind right now don't you think?"

Lena sighed, "Yeah... She just started feeling again. I can't even imagine what that must feel like. She's probably scared, alone, Jesus I bet she only has Reaper to talk to. He's probably the worst person to go to for advice on emotions."

Emily squeezed her shoulder, "You're going to help her."

Lena looked at her, "Em, wha..."

"That wasn't a suggestion pet, that was a prediction." Emily chuckled softly, "God knows you can't help yourself. The amount of date nights that've been broken up by your hero streak..."

Lena winced, "I might've gone overboard last time..."

Emily laughed loudly, "You broke a chair over the back of a skinhead and fought his five mates in an alleyway! We were supposed to be seeing a movie that night!" She squeezed Lena's hand, "But I'll admit it was far more entertaining than seeing Hero of my Storm for the fifth time. And that couple you helped were just so cute!"

Lena smiled, "Yeah, they were... Couldn't just leave ‘em there could I? An Omnic and a human, I dunno it just... Reminded me of what we went through when we first started going out."

Emily hummed, "Thought you took it a bit more personal than you usually do. But that just proves my point, you'll take on a group of skinheads for two people you don't even know, god, you've made a career out of it actually. I can't imagine how far you'll go to help someone you love."

Emily suddenly looked at her with complete seriousness, pulling her in close, "Just please, be careful. I can’t lose you Lena. I know you have to help her, god knows that’s why I love you, what’s most incredible about you. But please, I can’t lose you.”

Lena placed her hand on her cheek and drew her in for a kiss, slow, putting every ounce of feeling she had into it, before pulling back and leaning her forehead against Emily's, “I will be love, I’m not losing this. Not for anything. I’m not leaving you.”

They spent the next few minutes in silence, not wanting anything to break up the feeling of belonging they had, a perfect moment, absolutely still in time. Eventually, Lena's mile-a-minute brain couldn't keep her from speaking, "I don't even know if she'll want my help. Last time I 'helped' her she looked like her brain was going to leak out her ears. Can't imagine she's too eager to repeat that."

Emily snuggled deeper into Lena's side, "You'll wear her down eventually, you're stubborn like that."

"I am n-" Lena stopped herself, huffing and crossing her arms, "Fine, I get it, shut up."

Her girlfriend chuckled from beside her, "Never said it was a bad thing love. It's quite charming actually."

Lena kissed the top of her head, "I don't think the others would accept her back, even if she got back to normal. Not Fareeha, definitely not the Cap. Think that bridge is well burnt."

Emily looked up at her, "She'll have you in her corner. That's all she'll need. Come hell or high water, rain or shine," She snorted to herself, "Sickness or health..." Lena smacked her on the shoulder, not wanting her to see how red that had made her, "If she has you backing her up, she's going to be just fine."

Lena smiled softly to herself, almost whispering, "Thanks luv."

Suddenly the moment was broken by yet another filter-less question from Lena, "You don't really think Hero of my Storm is bad, do you?"

Emily giggled, "Lena, that movie is completely, utterly, one hundred percent terrible. It's maybe one of the worst things I've ever seen." She had that devious look in her eye again, "That little friend of yours is rather cute in it though..."

Emily fell through sudden empty space to the couch, laughing all the while. Lena blinked across the lounge and started limping away to the bedroom, "Nope, uh uh. Not going there."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is, the second chapter, obviously I've chosen to write more of this story, and writing Emily is fun!  
> I do have to admit that bzarcher's portrayal of her has become pretty much the only way I can see her now, but I'm hoping that she doesn't just feel like a carbon copy. I don't want to be ripping off other authors after all.  
> Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think!
> 
> If you want an expose in bad memes, or simply want another place to get a reminder of an update, my tumblr can be found at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake


	3. Chapter 3

" _Merde_ ," Breathe in, breathe out, "What's happening to me?"

Widowmaker ran across the rooftops of London, rooftiles slick with the falling rain, her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest. Her breathing was so ragged she was seeing spots, her head splitting with so much pain she was close to blacking out.

"Just a little further," She spotted the cracked window she had been searching for, " _Oh merci Dieu_!"

 

Talon, somewhat ironically for an organization that was known for utilizing brainwashing on its own soldiers, encouraged a degree of individuality in said soldiers, training them to be independent of one another, and thus not privy to any other agent's secrets. This system of Cells was ideally supposed to create an utterly impenetrable system of terror, the likes of which the "heroes" of the world would be unable to unearth until it was far too late. Not even all the higher ups were privy to every agent's location and resources. Of course, none of the higher ups were Sombra, internationally wanted and feared hacker, or Reaper, former Commander and Black Ops veteran of no less than three decades, or Widowmaker, who simply was not blinded by ego and actually made it a point to know where every potential enemy lay their heads at night.

As it stood though, Widowmaker had a series of safe houses around the globe that were completely unknown to anyone but those three, all bought and licensed through a series of shell companies and dummy corporations, and technically speaking, all legal. The millions of dollars’ worth of ammunition, explosives and poisons spread over each one however, not so much. And so it was that she found herself slipping through the window of one of said safe houses, her fragmented mental state not causing her to miss a beat as muscle memory took over as she made her way in. Dropping to the floor with a faint click of her heels, she was set to breathe a sigh of relief when she felt she wasn't alone. She grit her teeth and was about to reach for the backup pistol tucked in the holster in the back of her waistband when a gruff, weary voice seemed to float through the room,

"Relax."

Ah, that would be it. Out of the inky shadows, something that she was still getting used to seeing, even after all these years, slipped her illustrious commander himself, the Reaper. She schooled her expression, trying to control her breathing, "Reaper, Et comment allez-vous ce soir?"

He grunted, crossed his arms, "Something you want to tell me?" He walked over and leant on the desk next to her, almost lackadaisically, something the world had never, and likely would never see. "Anything important?"

She managed to get her breathing to a controlled level, but she couldn't stop her heart racing, well, racing compared to normal at least. "Non, everything is under control." She arched her eyebrow, "If there is nothing else, Pourrais-tu partir?"

He sighed, a deep, rumbling sound that she could somehow feel, "Widow, cut the shit. You're hurt." She couldn't see through the mask, but she could hear the surprise in his voice, "You're panicking."

Her heart started beating faster, she laughed to try and cover her fear, "Ne sois pas ridicule, I do not panic."

He grunted again, this time obviously annoyed, "No one ever gives me enough credit."

Now she was confused, "Que?"

He stared into her eyes, "I was a commander of one of the most elite military forces in the world, I was active duty Black Ops for over a quarter of a century, and I’ve recruited some of the biggest screw-ups with some of the most baggage in the world. I know when someone is panicking, and you," He pointed at her now, and she couldn't help flinching, "are panicking. Now get your ass over here and let me check you out."

When she replied, her voice was much quieter, "Alright." She stepped silently over to the desk, sitting on the top and unbuttoning her shirt. Reaper, for his part, turned around, she breathed a small laugh, "What are you doing?"

He huffed, "Giving you a minute." Moving over to the sink he ran a washcloth under warm water, squeezing out the excess water until he was satisfied.

She managed a small smile despite herself, "Not much to be done about that I'm afraid. May as well get this over with no?"

He grunted, "Alright," he reached up and undid the clasp on the back of his head, pulling the mask off and throwing it on the couch to be picked up later. "Ready?" Without the modulator his voice sounded much more normal, still absurdly deep, but it could actually be called smooth now, a far cry from the gravelly nightmare sound that he adopted in the field.

She breathed in, held it, then slowly exhaled, "Oui."

He brought his fingers to her chin, gently turning her head side to side, looking over the bruising on the left side of her face. "No bleeding, we'll wash it soon but nothing needs to be closed up."

He brought his hand lower and pressed his fingers into her ribs where the bruising was heavier, she hisses in surprise, he clucks his tongue to himself, “Oxton huh?” She nods, he chuckles to himself “She’s still got it.”

He picks her hand up and begins to wash the blood off her knuckles, “So, you gonna tell me about it?” She remains silent and looks down, he sighs deeply, “I’m not gonna tell Talon.”

She looks at him in surprise, “Que?”

He chuckles again, a wry smile crossing his features, “I didn’t tell them about Sombra and Katya Volskaya. I don’t tell them about your ‘Extra-curricular activities’. Why would I tell them about this?”

She looks at him confused, “Why?”

He looks at her with complete sincerity, “Because you’re a member of my team. I don’t care about Talon, I care about my team.”

She doesn't bother trying to fight the smile on her face anymore, even before she was aware of her emotions she sensed some sort of closeness between them, even Sombra had managed to worm her way under her skin, despite her very... Intense personality. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't relieved to know it wasn't one sided on her part.

"So come on, tell me." He looked her in the eyes, his glowing in the darkness of the room, "Secret's safe with me."

She took another deep breath, this was something she still wasn't sure she wanted to admit to anyone, "I... I'm remembering things now." She sighed, "Things from before... I didn't even know there was a before."

He pauses, his hand stilling across hers, "What kinds of things are you remembering?"

She looks away, "Things about a woman..."

He squeezes her hand, "Things about Oxton?" She nods, unable to speak. She's surprised he knew who they were about.

He sighs, almost... Sadly, "You know, you never were as happy as when she was around..." She looks at him with wide eyes, "I mean we all knew you two were close, but no one wanted to say anything. No one wanted to be the guy to get that one wrong, even if it was completely obvious."

She's still looking at him, trying to process, "We knew each other?"

He nods somberly, “Yeah, we did. A long, long time ago.” She knew he worked for Overwatch, everyone in Talon knew that, but the thought that they actually knew each other…

She leans forward, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

He turns away, “It wasn’t that simple.” She knew that tone, he wasn’t going to answer any more than that.

“Is that why you stuck around?”

He laughs humourlessly, “What other reasons would I have?”

She shrugs, “A pay check?”

He chuckles, “I might have lost my soul working for Blackwatch, but one thing they had over everything else was a generous salary.” He looks at the corner darkly, “If only they were that generous with everything else…”

She smirks, knowing what his answer will be next, "Loyalty?"

He scoffs, “Oh please. These people despise Omnics with a passion, how do you think they feel having someone so… Pigmentally gifted leading one of their teams?" He looks at her almost warmly, "It’s always been the team, it’s always been you, and later it was you and Sombra. Without you, without my team, I’d burn this place to the ground and spit on the ashes.” He narrows his eyes, "And if you two wanted to badly enough, I'd do it now with a smile on my face."

She smiles warmly, "That's all well and good Reaper, but what am I going to do now? I can fake not feeling for a while, but not forever, what happens when I slip?"

His face hardens, "They'll take you, reprogram you again and give you back to me as little more than a shell. That's not going to happen. Mark my words, that is not going to happen."

He paces around the room, thinking to himself. She watches him intently, almost certain she can see the thousands of plans racing across his face as he formulates something solid. Abruptly he stops and turns to her, "You're going to take some personal time, I'll tell Talon that I have you doing deep recon on Overwatch, and that you are not to be contacted." He smiles wryly, "I'll even use the Reaper voice for that. That should keep them off your back."

She huffed, "And just what am I supposed to do on this 'Personal time'?"

He shrugs dramatically, "Whatever." As if the answer is that simple, "Get used to feeling again, do some more jobs for those Omnics if you still feel guilty. Hell, you could find Oxton if you think she can help, but I would suggest not doing that where anyone can see."

He smiled to himself, "And if you decide that you want to do something... drastic, I have this."

He fished a slip of paper out of his coat and passed it to her, she opened it up and stared at it. It was a list of names, about three dozen of them, "What is this?"

He chuckled, a dark, rumbling sound, "That is a list of higher ups and field agents in Talon that are particularly anti-Omnic, and like I said before, probably anti about a lot of things. This organization could use a bit of a shakeup before we decide to leave, if that's what you want."

She still wasn't sure what words to use to describe her feelings, but she thought 'warm' would be a good descriptor of her feeling now. "Thank you, Reaper. I mean that."

He shrugged, "Thank Sombra, she did the work. Just one thing," He leaned in, and suddenly Reaper was gone and the Blackwatch commander had taken his place, "If you decide to go after them, this can't look like a Widowmaker job. No rifle, do it close, got it?"

She nodded, "Oui, this can be done."

He leaned back, satisfied, "Good. In the meantime, go and lie down on the couch, your rib is cracked on your left side and you have a tweaked jaw I want to take a look at tomorrow. You need rest, especially after... All this."

She stood, grunting "D'accord, I am quite tired." She padded over to the couch, and as tempting as it was to flop directly onto it, she knew that if she did her screaming would wake the whole neighborhood. Not exactly what one wants when hiding away. She lowered herself to the cushions, sighing in relief as she almost melted into them, she was going to be out in no time at all. She looked to her right, where Reaper had set his vigil next to the window, years of training leaving him in an abnormal state of awareness, the rare moments in her life where she had seen him sleeping disturbed by little more than a pin dropping in the next room.

"Reaper?" He hummed in response, "Thank you."

She could see him smile faintly, "Anytime."

She drifted off under his watchful gaze, he silently added to himself, "It's good to have you back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here's Reaper, one of the most cringey characters when I first started playing, but as I started delving into the lore he became one of my favorites. I think the ambiguity of precisely why he betrayed Overwatch and Jack is one of the most interesting parts, and lends itself pretty well to interpretation.  
> Also I, like many, was taken aback by the Uprising Event, and Reyes' silky smooth voice, as well as how GOOD of a commander he actually seemed to be. It really made me reevaluate his character from this gruff, no nonsense edge lord, to someone who actually cared about his soldiers, and particularly in doing the right thing, even if it pissed off everyone in the process. Really made me wonder what could have happened to change that.  
> But anyway, that's kind of my interpretation of what Reyes has become, still broken, and still working for the bad guys, but I think he's still dedicated to his soldiers, even if that's the only thing he can believe in now.
> 
> Translations:  
> Et comment allez-vous ce soir - And how are you tonight?  
> Pourrais-tu partir - Could you leave?  
> Ne sois pas ridicule - Do not be ridiculous.
> 
> As always, blog is here https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake, come on over, drop me a line.


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing Widowmaker noticed when she opened her eyes was the dull ache in her side, the second was the throbbing behind her eyes, bringing back distant memories of hangovers, memories that weren’t _hers_. She threw her arm out to the side, recoiling slightly when her hand swiped a bottle of aspirin off the table onto the floor. Desperately, she threw herself down and grabbed the bottle, shaking three into her mouth and swallowing them dry.

“You know,” came a voice from behind her, “There _was_ a bottle of water on the table.”

She waved him off and snatched the bottle off the ground, emptying the whole thing down her throat and throwing the bottle into some other corner, to be forgotten. His chest rumbled with suppressed laughter as he strolled over to sit across from her, Widow settling herself back into the couch to wait for the pills to take effect.

“So,” she began after too long of a silence, “What am I to do now?”

Reaper cocked his eyebrow, “Now? I would say you’re going to take a day or two to get on your feet, then go shoot whoever it is you decide you need to shoot, or talk to who you need to talk to, or just… take it easy.” He shrugs, “It’s up to you.”

She scoffs, “That is _very_ helpful _mon ami_. But if I knew what I wanted to do, I wouldn’t need suggestions.”

He hummed thoughtfully, “Well the obvious solution would be… Talking to Oxton?”

She threw her hands up, “Ah yes, of course!  _Quelle folie de moi ,_ the solution is so simple.” She looked at him with her eyebrows drawn together in frustration, “Why on earth would she help me? Do you know what I did to her?”

Reaper nodded, tone cold, “Killed her idol in front of her and gave her very conflicted feelings about the woman that she loved, likely causing underlying psychological issues that, if you were still unfeeling enough and frankly, evil enough, could be exploited rather easily to end her life.”

She stopped and leaned back, taking in exactly what he just said, “I… how would you…”

He grunts, “Psychological warfare, find what an enemy fears and exploit it, find what an enemy would be destroyed by and use it. Did that a lot back in the day, was good at it.” He looked at her, unimpressed, “Seriously, people need to give me more credit.”

She shifted uncomfortably, “Aside from how I could use it, you just explained the exact reasons _why_ she wouldn’t help me. What reason would she have?”

Reaper sighed, “Because the woman is an idealist, and honestly, I’m beginning to think she’s also insane. Half the shit she pulls would land a normal soldier in the psych ward, she does it all with a smile on her face. And they’re not all fake smiles, some of them are, but not all of them.” He looked at her seriously, “She cares about you. Or, well, who you _used_ to be. That’s why she’ll help you. That’s a rare thing you know, you might not like where it comes from, but if someone ever comes along that cares about you, _really_ cares about you, then grab that, no matter what.”

She’s still speechless when she notices he’s been thumbing her coat for the last five minutes, “I don’t… What are you doing?”

He notices what he’s been doing and stops, “You have a hole in your coat, probably from last night. I’m gonna sew it up, save you some money on getting it tailored.”

She raises her eyebrow, “I _can_ sew myself you know.”

He huffs, “Let me do this, I don’t get the opportunity much anymore.” He grunts, “Please?”

She smirks, shakes her head, “Fine, you can sew my coat for me. You are a strange man.”

He brings the coat into his lap, inspecting the damage, “Having a passion is not strange Widow, I do happen to enjoy things that don’t involve shooting people. They just mix together sometimes.”

She laughs, briefly, but genuinely, and is surprised by how much she enjoys the feeling. She wants to do it more, but suddenly reality comes back to her. “How am I going to talk to Tracer? I can’t show up at her apartment, she would shoot me. And I can’t just stroll up to her on the battlefield and ask to have a chat, can I?”

Reaper take a minute, mulls over ideas, when suddenly he smirks, his eyes alight with inspiration, “You can’t, no. But _I_ can.” She looks at him like he’s lost his mind, “Widow, what was the name of that target you killed last night?”

 

Two days had passed since the encounter between Widowmaker and herself, and yet Lena still found her mind racing with images of her eyes, not Widowmaker’s eyes, _her_ eyes. Amelie, the woman who she loved, the woman who she lost when she was in the slipstream. _Another thing that fucking ship cost me_ , she thought, _my wings weren’t enough. My body wasn’t enough, I had to lose her too_.

She shook her head as she turned to look at the redhead asleep next to her, snoring softly and looking more peaceful than anything Lena had ever known. She smiled as she took in the wild hair, the bedsheets tangled around her ankles, the arm that, even now in the deepest of sleeps, was still wrapped possessively around Lena’s waist. _Well, I lucked out here though. Not all bad I suppose._

She was set to fall asleep and enjoy hopefully one of many days in, when her phone suddenly started blaring _Rebel Rebel_ at top volume, and while normally she would have loved to have heard that particular ringtone, she wasn’t much looking forward to extracting herself from her warm girlfriend’s side. She clicked the phone and placed it to her ear, “Hey luv! What’s goin’ on? Rozzer’s need some help sorting their odds and sods?”

The deep rumble of Winston’s voice came through the phone, sounding frantic, not even bothering with a greeting, “No Tracer the police do not need our help. Are you familiar with Andrew Banewell? He was an MP, he was assassinated a few nights ago.”

_Yes, I’m aware, I was there._ “Yea I know ‘im luv, heard he was a real Richard The Third.”

Winston paused for a second, it was rare, but occasionally talking to her he needed to, “I don’t… that doesn’t matter, his funeral was today. _Was_ today, it’s been attacked.”

Tracer shot up in bed, “Bloody ‘ell mate why didn’t you lead with that!? Where do you need me?”

Winston’s tone turned professional, “Rendezvous point Alpha, do you know where that is?”

“Yeah I know where it is luv I suggested it!” Tracer shouted while simultaneously trying to wrestle herself into her pants, “What are we looking at?”

Winston cleared his throat, “About two dozen Talon Troopers, one APC on standby. And Tracer,” He paused to make sure she was listening clearly, “Reaper has been spotted in command, be careful.”

She swallowed, “Yeah, you got it luv, extra careful on this one.” She hung up and tucked the phone into her pocket, throwing on her jacket and turning to the bed, where Emily was wide awake. “Hey Em, I gotta get going. I’ll be back before you know it, I promise.” She pressed a kiss to Emily’s lips, when her arms wrapped around Tracer, pulling her in close.

“Be careful.” She whispered, Tracer leaned back and kissed her on the nose.

She smiled, “Always.”

 

She was breathless by the time she reached the Rendezvous, having skipped on driving and electing to jump across the rooftops on the way. It _was_ quicker, London traffic hadn’t really gotten any better, but the burn in her lungs made her wish she could have been ten minutes late instead.

She stumbled through the door, almost dropping to the ground before she was caught by a metal arm. And given that every movement accompanying who it was attached to made some sort of click or jangle, it could only be one person.

“Woah there darlin’,” McCree said as he brought her to her feet, “don’t need ya faintin’ on us now do we?” He led her over to the couch and dropped her, “Take a minute, breathe. Still getting’ our things together here anyway.”

He stepped away from her, tightening the straps on his body armor and checking the cylinders of his revolvers. Taking time to gaze around the room, she looked at her team for this mission. Hana loading rounds into her MEKA, making sure that her backup blaster was in optimal condition and testing her draw. _Right, McCree’s been giving her some tips on that, bloody hell, she’s gotten good._ McCree fully prepared for battle, now leaning back against the wall smoking a cigar. Zenyatta sitting quietly in the corner, meditating like he always was, his orbs chiming rhythmically around him. And finally, Fareeha, loading her launcher up with rockets with the clinical efficiency of a veteran, servo’s whirring as she tested the joints of her Raptora suit.

Fareeha turned as she felt Tracer’s eyes on her, a small smile tugging at the edge of her mouth when she saw her looking. Wordlessly, she picked up a bottle of water and shook it lightly in front of Tracer’s face, the smaller woman grabbing it ferociously and chugging the whole bottle. She laughed and took it back, the bottle looking so small clutched in her suit’s claws.

“Very impressive Lena, must be a new record for you to get here this fast.” She tossed the bottle into the bin, “But you didn’t really need to be that fast, the dropship hasn’t finished fuelling yet.”

She laughed as Tracer threw her head back with a groan, “Winston could’ve bloody told me that before.”

Fareeha stepped over to the wall and grabbed her helmet, “You’re all set anyway, we just need to wait for the jet then we can head to the funeral.”

“Ya know,” McCree drawled from across the room, “I hate Talon as much as the next man, but why don’t we let them take this one?”

Fareeha’s eyebrows shot up, “ _Excuse me?_ ”

“I did a bit of readin’ up on this Banewell, guy seemed like a real piece of work. I don’t remember what Overwatch’s stance on Omnics is, I left a while ago. But given that we got Zen over here in the corner I’m guessin’ we wouldn’t’ve been on Banewell’s side.”

Fareeha scoffed, “That is _far_ from the point here Jesse. Banewell is dead, his friends are not, his family are not. They are not the same as him.”

Jesse stood off the wall, “Oh ain’t they? See here’s the thing, Omnics’ve got families too, families that are gettin’ torn apart by what men like Banewell do. Men like him are barely any better than Talon, so let him spend his last day with them.”

Tracer was sitting straight, staring wide eyed at Jesse, “You really hate them, don’t you?”

Jesse all but snarled his answer, “Goddamn right I do! Hate ain’t always a bad thing, some people deserve hate, sometimes hate is the _right_ thing to feel for someone.”

“'Righteous hatred' is in the same category as 'righteous cancer' or 'righteous tuberculosis'. All of them are absurd concepts.” They all turned to where Zenyatta’s voice had come from, his orbs stilled.

“Well those’re some pretty words Zen, but what do you feel huh? You don’t hate these men who’re killing your people? You don’t hate Talon? They don’t make you want to do something about it?” McCree curled his lips in a bitter smirk.

Zenyatta turned his head to look directly at McCree, “Hatred is not strategy. I feel dismayed by their actions, and hope to be able to stop them, whether it be by words, or if required, by force. But I do not hate them, there is no reason for it.”

McCree grunted, “Fine, whatever. We’ll go save these people, we’ll see how grateful they are that you showed up.” He stomped out of the room, heading up the ramp to the Dropship. Everyone was silent until Hana broke the silence.

“Well, that’s over. Everyone ready?” Without waiting for an answer, she got in her MEKA and started up the ramp, the ground vibrating with every step.

Fareeha simply nodded, “I guess now is as good a time as any, Tracer, Zenyatta, let’s go.”

 

The dropship shot through the sky, it wasn’t very difficult to spot where their destination was, a giant plume of smoke rising out of the countryside marred the landscape. Pharah had her helmet on, gone was the kind, patient Fareeha, replaced by the cool, calculated, _fearsome_ Captain Amari. She stood by the open door of the ship, surveying the enemy positions.

“D.Va, Zenyatta! You’ll handle the outside, the enemies are thinner there. Tracer, McCree, you’ll handle the inside, the majority of their troops fell back into the building. I’ll provide Overwatch, can everyone handle that?”

“Aye aye Captain!” Tracer leaned forward and grinned at Pharah, already getting into fight mode. McCree snorted next to her.

“Never a dull moment with you people.”

They all took positions next to the door, a counter telling giving them ten seconds till drop time.

“So Zenny,” D.Va called to the former monk, “Think you can keep up with me?”

He chuckled next to her, “Maybe we can consider this your lesson in humility.”

The alarm went off, “Jump, _now_!” Pharah dove out of the ship and activated her jump jets, rocketing clear into the sky. The others leapt out and landed on the grass, immediately taking fire.

“Peace and blessings be upon you all!” Zenyatta threw two of his orbs forward, two troopers heads recoiling viciously, the crack of bone breaking audible across the field, another two fired into the stomach of one close to them, the man kneeling over and hacking onto the grass. McCree strolled over on his way to the funeral home, drawing his leg back and viciously kicking the man in the temple, he straightened up and collapsed onto the ground, still.

“Well come on now girl! Let’s not keep ‘em waitin’!” He shouted back at Tracer, but by the time he finished his sentence she had already blinked in front of him, sprinting towards the building, “Oh come on that ain’t fair!”

Meanwhile the APC sitting off to the side trained its turret on Zenyatta, the omnic still floating serenely through the chaos. High calibre rounds started tearing through the air, ripping vicious holes through the grass and cars between them.

“Zen!” D.Va shouted, her defense matrix activating just in time to shield him, catching two rounds in her MEKA’s side in the process, “Damnit Zen be careful!”

He chuckled, “I have nothing to worry about with you at my side, Ms Song.”

“ _Jjajeungna!_ ”

The doors of the APC opened, another squad of Talon starting to pour out of the back. Under the watchful eye of Pharah however, this was no problem. Talon APC’s used very heavy armor, strong enough to be within one hundred meters of a thermobaric explosion and show no damage. To say her rockets would have little effect on its plating was to do a disservice to the armor. The inside however, remained just as vulnerable as anything.

She killed her jets, letting herself drop to the earth before activating them again, coming up straight and level twenty metres up behind the APC. Taking aim, she fired her wrist rocket at the leader of the squad, hitting him dead in the chest and knocking him back into the APC, the rest of his squad being thrown around and stumbling down next to the open door. The squad leader became lucid just in time to see the rocket steaming towards him, time seeming to slow down as it impacted with his stomach and activated, the world for a split second turning white, then dark. The APC exploded from the inside, the blast careening out the doors and incinerating the rest of the squad, terrified screams being swallowed up by the terrifying screech of tearing metal.

D.Va meanwhile was dealing with stragglers, their rifles not even denting the armor of her MEKA, her fusion cannons tearing apart the cars they were hiding behind bit by bit.

“Bored now, bye!” She boosted straight into the car, flipping it on its side and crushing the two troopers behind it, before turning and smacking the one left with her cannon. The blow sent him flying into a tree, his back snapping around it and leaving him sprawled on the concrete next to it.

“Outside’s clear you guys, it’s all you now.”

 

McCree smashed his shoulder into the door, sending it and the trooper behind it flying across the room. The trooper fumbled to try and pick up his rifle but a foot viciously stomped down and crushed his hand into the floor. The man screamed and looked up into his attackers’ eyes.

"Uh uh, not today pal." McCree grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled him towards himself, sending his knee slamming directly into his chin. Blood and teeth shot out of his mouth and he fell limply backwards. McCree spat on his prone form, "Talon asshole."

"You know luv, you might be overdoing it a bit." Tracer sidled up to him, keeping an eye open for any ambushes, "You might wanna talk to someone about that."

He scoffed, "Har har, you know I think you might have a few things to talk about yourself."

She raised her eyebrow, "Oh yeah? Like what?"

A finger poked into her cheek, she swatted it away immediately, "Like how you look beat to shit even though you had time off."

Her eyes widened, "Tha-that is none of your business!"

He looked sceptical, "Yeah, sure. And if that thing that's none of my business happens to be blue and keeps trying to shoot us?"

She narrowed her eyes, "Then I'd say it'd be even more important not to pry. Wouldn't you?"

He smirked, "I would, yeah. Which is why any talk about _my_ shit is going to stop now, got it?"

Tracer walked ahead, poking her head around the corner, "Fine, I get it, don't have to be such an arsehole about it."

He joined her in travelling down the hall, weapons out and at the ready, "Course I do, that's my charm."

They reached a set of double doors and each took a step back. They turned to each other, mouthing, _One. Two. Three!_

They each sprinted forward and took the doors off their hinges, the troopers inside were completely unprepared. The first in line took three shots from McCree's Peacemaker, a second dropping before the first could even gurgle. A trooper to his right brought his rifle up and fired, but Tracer was aware of all of this. She grabbed hold of time, bringing it to a crawl and letting herself think. Even in here she only had a split second to act, blinking in front of another trooper who was trying to run to cover. Jumping into the air, she planted both feet into his chest, sending him careening through the air into the path of the rifle fire, taking all the rounds in his chest at the same time as she fired her pistols at the attacker. Both dropped wordlessly to the ground in a bloody heap, the blood landing on his cheek making McCree recoil in surprise.

As soon as he put two and two together he immediately began to applaud, "Well goddamn girl, like shootin' fish in a barrel!" He walked over and clapped her on the back, "Boy, remind me not to piss you off."

She shook his hand off, laughing to herself, "We can talk about how cool I was later, we need to find those hostages now." She looked at him, "Split up?"

He tilted his hat at her, "Split up." He grinned, "Happy huntin'."

She shook her head and started down the hall, kicking in doors when she comes across them but not coming across any troopers, or hostages for that matter. She reaches the last door in the hallway, breathing deeply she steps back, one, two, three steps. Exhaling she once again sprints, splintering the door and sliding across the floor, pulse pistols up. She is almost caught by surprise when she comes face to face with a Talon trooper, but she ducks his reactionary fire just in time. Bringing her leg out, she shatters his knee cap and grabs his arm, flipping him over her shoulder and making him land on his hip, hard. A second and third join him, each rushing in with knives ready to take her on. The first to make a move finds he can't breathe when she launches her fist into his throat, while his knife is snatched from his hand and slammed down through his foot. He doesn't have time to attempt to scream before a roundhouse from behind shatters his goggles and orbital bone alike, knocking him out cold. The third is obviously better trained than the other two, not even flinching at the carnage enacted upon his comrades. He manages to block two of her punches before he swipes at her, a blink and almost casual kick being enough to send his knife flying across the room. He attempts to block but cannot escape a knee that slips past his guard, breaking a rib and driving the breath out of his lungs. Tracer almost whoops with joy at the Adrenalin coursing through her body, when something feels wrong. She isn't fading, but she feels like she's lost the strand of time that she so often feels, like she was in a whirlpool and suddenly found herself in a lake.

" _Ola_." A woman in purple steps out of the shadows, and suddenly the shadows step out from behind _her_.

"Throw your weapons down. _Now_." She gulps, that was the one voice she didn't want to hear on this mission, the voice she said she'd be careful to avoid. To make matters worse, the trooper she had previously been dominating was now stood behind her, rifle at the ready and eyes hard. She didn't have any other way out of this.

" _Fine_." She bit out, tossing her pistols on the ground, the trooper kicking them towards Reaper. He bent down to pick one up, turning it over in his hand and inspecting the weight.

"Incredible, gotta give respect to the ape. He sure knows his stuff." He turned to look at her, "Sorry about this kid." He brought the pistol up and fired, she flinched at the shots, expecting pain, yet she felt nothing. She heard a gurgling from behind her, a wet, horrible sound, something which she had heard many times. She turned, seeing the trooper on the ground, clutching desperately at his ruined throat, his legs kicking pathetically against the ground in agony. The two holes in his chest wouldn't stop leaking, and it wasn't long before his movements weakened and then, finally, ceased. She was still staring in horror, so concentrated on his bloody form that she almost missed Reaper speaking to her.

"Catch." He tossed her pistol to her, she almost fumbled and dropped it but somehow, she managed to keep her hands on it. She stared wide eyed at him as he crossed the room and dragged a chair back, slumping roughly into it and leaning back, eyeing her for a few seconds. Eventually, he got tired of the silence.

"I imagine you have some questions." She couldn't see through the mask, but she could hear his amusement.

"You- you're bloody right I have some questions!"

He chuckled, "Yeah, I would too, but those can wait. We need to talk."

She narrowed her eyes, "Talk? About what?"

He leaned forward in his chair, "About Amelie." She was speechless, he chuckled, "Yeah, thought that would get your attention."

She was confused, "Why do we need to talk about Amelie, she's gone. Remember?"

He huffed, "Kid, don't bother. I know what you did, I know that she's starting to remember. And I thought it was important to come tell you something." He stepped towards her, she twitched her pistol but resisted the urge to bring it up and unload on him, even when he brought his clawed hand up and put it on her shoulder. "Thank you."

_Well that... isn't what I was expecting._

"W-what?"

"Thank you, for starting to bring her back." He stepped back, giving her space, she released a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. "We don't have much time here, so I'm gonna go quick. We need to meet again, talk about how you can help her."

Now she was even more confused, but still cautious, "W-Why would I meet with you? Why in the hell would I help her?!"

He laughed, a sight she was more unnerved by than anything in recent memory, "Because you just can't help yourself Oxton." He turned and began to walk away.

She stomped her foot, furious at the assumption, "You don't bloody well know anything about me! Don't pretend otherwise!"

He stopped and turned his head, "I know you better than you think. I know everyone who's name went up on that wall."

_Wall? What is he..._

"We'll meet where you and Amelie fought. We'll find somewhere public after that, somewhere you can feel comfortable, how's that sound?" Without waiting for her reply, he starts walking off again, "Great, I'll be there at 22:00 hours, see you there." When he reached the wall he melted into the shadows again, ending the conversation rather definitively.

"Hey there," Sombra pulled her out of her thoughts by kicking her other pistol over to her, "Just give me a second and... there!" All of a sudden it felt like Tracer became whole again, time returning to her side, almost feeling as if she could hold it within her hands.

She shot a look at Sombra, "Don't you ever do that again!"

Sombra put her hands up, "Hey don't worry about it, just had to make sure you weren't going to run off, but uh, just to let you know," She leaned in close, as if she were telling her a secret, "You might wanna get running _chica_ , we’re blowing the building up in about… Three minutes. Bye Bye!”

She pulled back from Tracer, quickly bringing her machine gun up to pump three rounds into each of the still unconscious Talon troopers, before waving her hand and disappearing.

Tracer turned around and sprinted as fast as she could through the door, "What is _wrong_ with you people?!" She dug her finger into her comm link, screaming into it, "The building is rigged! Three minutes and it goes up, get the hostages and _get out_!"

 

She slides around the corner, running in the direction of gunfire. She dives through the door, landing behind a counter where McCree has set up shot and is taking cautious shots. He yelped as she landed next to him, "What the- Where'd you come from?"

She fires a burst from her pistols, dropping a trooper coming from their side, "Jesse, where are the hostages?"

He grimaced, "Families safe, shook, but safe. That's all."

She raised her eyebrows, "That's all?"

He nodded grimly, firing another round over the bar, "Everyone else is dead, most of ‘em co-workers of his." He shrugged, "Nothin’ we can do."

She grunted and threw herself over the bar, blinking into the middle of the group of Talon. Two others behind the group raised their weapons when their heads popped almost simultaneously from two Peacemaker shots. She furiously ripped her pulse bomb from its holster and slammed it onto the ground, recalling through time and landing herself behind the bar, dragging Jesse to the ground with her. The blast rocked the entire room, sending bottles of wine and liquor tumbling down onto them, desperately trying to keep their heads shielded. They got up and looked over the bar, both grimacing at the grisly sight of the former squad. Miraculously the large window to the side was still intact, if splattered with something that Tracer would rather not think about right now.

"Yeah, that's not somethin' I wanna get used to seein'." Jesse grunted, as he hopped over the bar.

Tracer shivered, "You think it's bad seeing it? Imagine _doing_ it."

He rubbed her shoulder, "Hey kid, don't wor-" His words were cut off by a pained grunt and the deafening boom of a shotgun blast, Tracer whipping her head to the doorway. A lone Talon grunt, possibly the last one in the area, pointing a shotgun directly at her. She could see his finger compressing on the trigger, and for the second time that day was frozen in fear. And once again, she was surprised to feel nothing. Instead, she saw the top of his head evaporate, his shotgun kicking wildly to the side and discharging into nothing. Her mouth was still agape when she heard Jesse groan beside her.

"Well shit kid," He grunted as she helped him to his feet, "Good reflexes."

"Yeah," she said, eyeing the hole in the window, the tell-tale reflection of light in the distance, "Good reflexes."

Their conversation was ended as they felt the building shake, her head whipping to the doorway to see a wall of fire approaching. Her blood turned cold, "Phosphorous!" She grabbed Jesse and without another word started sprinting towards the window, the heat building to an unimaginable level. Right as it was at her heels, she jumped into the air, blinking as much as she could and through the window, dragging Jesse screaming along behind her. They landed about thirty feet away from the building just as it all but incinerated, the heat unbearable. She pressed her comm link, "Get as far away from the building as you can! It's phosphorous, don't breathe the smoke!"

She and Jesse forced themselves to walk as far as they could, making it about one hundred feet before collapsing, utterly spent. She let her head rest on the grass, trying to think about anything but the fading screams of whatever Talon force was still left in the building. And then she remembered. Reaper. Sombra. A meeting with the leader of Talon's most ferocious squad. Tonight. _Alone_. Sitting up in the grass, she could only think one thing, "What. The fuck. Is going on?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoooo boy, this was a long one. Was tempted to end the chapter before they ship out, but I wanted to get some more action in this story, figured it was time to get the ball rolling. Hope it was worth it!   
> Oh also before I forget, I always imagine that Amelie doesn't dress in that frankly ridiculous outfit on her personal time, so for the last few chapters she has been dressed like this: http://valkymie.deviantart.com/art/Widowmaker-622491808  
> Go give them some love, I'm quite a fan of that picture.  
> Also yes I am aware that it may at first seem strange that David Bowie would remain popular enough for an Overwatch Agent to have one of his songs as her ringtone, but come on, that shit is going to age well.
> 
> Zenyatta's quote about Righteous Anger comes from Allan Wallace in 'Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground up', a good start if you are interested in any way in the study of Buddhism. Personally I find it fascinating.
> 
> Translations:  
> Quelle folie de moi - How foolish of me!  
> Jjajeungna! - Annoying!
> 
> As always, my tumblr can be found at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake


	5. Chapter 5

“Well now,” McCree drawled as he sat up, spare hand adjusting his hat, “ _That_ was fun.”

Tracer didn’t have the energy to stare at him, or even cock her eyebrow, so she decided an old-fashioned scoff would have to suffice, “Fun, yeah, _that’s_ what that was.”

“Oh, come on, you gotta admit it was excitin’.” He got to his feet and extended his hand, “It at least got your blood pumpin’.”

She took his hand and pulled herself to her feet with a huff, trying to scowl but not really feeling it, “Fine, yeah it was exciting.” She shook her head, “It shouldn’t be though.”

He tilted his head, “And why’s that?”

She looked at him like he what he just said was insane, “Why? ‘cause it’s _killing_! Did you see what that room looked like before we jumped out the window? That shouldn’t be exciting! Fuck, some of these guys might’ve had families!”

It was McCree’s turn to scoff now, “Oxton, everyone’s got a family. That doesn’t get rid of the bad shit someone does.”

She looked down, “Maybe some of ‘em didn’t have a choice.”

He laughed, bitterly, “Didn’t have a choice? Let me tell you about someone. My old safehouse in Dorado, there was an old guy living on the street, homeless guy, ex-military. Guy sat out there all day, beggin’ for scraps, ‘cause no one would hire him. He sat out there, day in, day out, dealin’ with the young guys who’d come ‘round, try to beat the shit outta him.” He looked at her, “Know what he did?”

She shook her head, “What’d he do?”

“Nothin’. He took it, took what money he could get from whoever gave it out, and took it back to the outskirts. Gave most of it to the homeless folks livin’ out there and kept some for himself. Then he went back and did it again. And again. And again. Cause he had a choice. He could either join Talon, they would’ve gone right for him, ex-military, nothing to lose. Or, he could live an honest life, a hard one, but an honest one. He chose.” He actually glared at Tracer, “Everyone has a choice. Him livin’ on the street was a choice, me joinin’ Blackwatch and not going to jail was a choice. Facin’ hard times doesn’t mean I’m gonna be understandin’ when you help commit genocide.”

Tracer looked at him with wide eyes, “You think joining Blackwatch was a choice?”

“Fuckin’ A. And not the right one, the right one woulda been doing the time and makin’ up for the shit I did. Instead I signed up to kill even more people. We’ve gotta own our choices.” He smirked, “Now don’t get me wrong, one of these boys wants to defect, sees the light, whatever, I’ll help him out. I’ll give him the grand Overwatch tour and everythin’.” His eyes hardened, “But I see one on the field, and he’s got his gun loaded and it’s him or me? I’ll kill every single one I come across. That’s my choice.”

He turned and began to walk off, Tracer stared after him for a second before shaking her head, “Right, well… I guess now we’ll see how grateful Ms Banewell _isn’t_.”

 

Somewhat surprisingly, Ms Banewell was _very_ grateful to the members of Overwatch, thanking them profusely for saving her son and daughter, saying she doesn’t know what she’d do without them and all the usual parts of a thankful speech.

Much less surprisingly, she was only very grateful to the _human_ members of Overwatch, her contempt for Zenyatta barely concealed beneath a venomous sneer every time her eyes passed over him. Lena found her fists squeezing quite hard every time she noticed, and it was with some amusement she noticed that Hana had the very same reaction, only she wasn’t concerned with hiding it. Ms Banewell certainly noticed the fire in Hana’s eyes, and soon refrained from looking at Zenyatta at all.

"I-I don't know how to repay you...My children, I-"

Tracer put her hand up, "Don't worry about it ma'am, we were just doing our jobs." She narrowed her eyes, " _All_ of us were."

She shifted uncomfortably, "I understand...What should we do now?"

Pharah stepped in now, "You should take your children and lay low for a while, a few weeks, maybe a few months, until the attention on your family dies down, just to be safe. Do you have somewhere to go?"

She nodded, "Yes, my parents live in Munich, we can go there for a while."

McCree huffed, "Well that's swell." He turned on his heel and started to walk off.

Ms Banewell raised her eyebrows, "W-Wait! Where are you going? What if they come back?"

He looked over his shoulder, his distaste for her plain on his face, "Look around lady, they ain't comin' back for a while. You'll be good."

Pharah sighed, "As brusque as he is, he's right. Talon won't be looking to hurt you again today, or for a while. You'll have plenty of time to get out of the country."

She nodded, "Ok, we'll hurry, I know I've already said it before, but thank you. So much."

To the surprise of Ms Banewell, her daughter stepped forward, only nine years old yet standing tall, and striding right over to Zenyatta. To the surprise of _everyone_ , she wrapped both of her arms around one of his floating legs and squeezed as hard as she could, "Thank you for saving us."

Zenyatta chuckled and placed his hand on her head, Ms Banewell sucked in a breath at the contact, but he merely rubbed back and forth soothingly, "Continue to carry peace in your mind and care in your heart child." She backed away with a bright smile on her face, continuing to watch the group as they turned and walked off. She could deal with her mother's disappointment later.

McCree huffed next to Zenyatta, "Knew she wouldn't be grateful."

Zenyatta hummed, "But her daughter most certainly was, even you seemed shocked."

McCree smirked bitterly, "That little girl is a drop in the river Zen, you really think that'll matter?"

The monk chuckled to himself, turning to look at the cowboy, "Drops create ripples, they join other ripples and grow, and before you know it, the entire current of the river has changed." He stopped and brushed a hand against McCree's shoulder, "We help change through small acts Jesse, we cannot force it overnight. You cannot _force_ change at all."

McCree shook his hand off, "Yeah, sure. Let's see how far that gets us. Maybe next time we come across Talon we can pat ‘em on the back and ask for tolerance." He stalked off the rest of the way to the drop ship, the rest of the team watching him every step of the way.

 

Back at their temporary base everyone was collapsed against the makeshift lounge they'd set up, awaiting a house call from Angela to make sure their bodies were clean and their minds were clear. All except Lena, who was currently mesmerized by the water in the shower gathering around her feet, watching the swirl change from see through to pink as more of the mission's success washed off her body. Idly she realized that none of the blood washing down the drain was actually hers, she hadn't gotten so much as a scratch from bullet or glass. She snapped out of it when she wiped her hand through her hair and felt something soft fall out and land with a light splash, instead she spent the rest of her time in the shower trying not to retch as she pulled pieces of soldier off herself.

When she steps out and gets redressed, feeling the reassuring weight of the accelerator against her chest, she notices that she isn't alone in the bathroom. Fareeha was standing with her back to Lena, obviously having just stepped out of the shower herself. _Can't believe I didn't hear her, I must've really spaced out_. Her hair was damp and hanging down her back, her body criss-crossed with the marks and scars a career soldier accumulates, her back and arms a canvas of faded lines and healed holes. She had the body of a hard lined, battle hungry warrior, but when she turned and saw Lena her face showed the smile of a guardian angel.

"Lena! Are you feeling alright?" She walked towards her, mercifully putting a shirt back over her head, Lena wasn't sure if she could hold back a blush in the presence of the living equivalent of a marble statue.

"Yeah luv, I'm good, just a close call that's all." She shook her head, trying to get the image of disintegrating soldiers out of her mind, soldiers whose deaths _she_ caused, and in the moment, was thrilled to do. "How ‘bout you Ree? Heard you saved Zenny's arse. _Again_."

Fareeha chuckled, "Oh he was safe before I did anything. Hana had him covered. _Again_."

Lena shook her head fondly, "If I didn't know any better I'd say someone had a crush. What would dear ol' Satya think?"

"As cute as it would be we _do_ know better," Fareeha pushed Lena's shoulder, "Besides, I don't think Satya would be able to take that. She's already having a hard-enough time hiding her blush every time Hana comes into the room."

Lena laughed, "Not like either of them are subtle about it, somethin's gonna hafta give at some point, they can't just dance around it forever. Although..." She smirked with a great deal of pleasure on her face, "You and Angie took about, what? Fourteen years? I think you'll keep that record."

Fareeha didn't even bother to hide her blush, "T-That's not my fault! I was only around the base when my mother was there, and then I joined the army so I couldn't come as often! It's not my fault she was so caring and kept smiling at me with that beautiful..." She stared at Lena, "I hate you."

Lena barked out a laugh and wrapped Fareeha in her arms, her head fitting against the taller woman's shoulder, "Love you too Ree."

She stepped back and looked at Fareeha fondly, "How is she? You two still in that disgustingly cute domestic stage?"

The soldier chuckled, "We're still good, really good. I don't think I've ever been happier. What about Emily? Are you two ok? It's been a while since we've seen her."

Now it was Lena's turn to blush, "Yeah we're really good, it's been good having a base here in London, don't have to be so far apart anymore. Can't believe it's been four years already." She leaned in close, "Tell you the truth, I'm thinkin' about askin' her soon."

Fareeha raised her eyebrow, "Ask her..." Her eyes widened, "Oh! Oh that would be wonderful!" She pulled Lena in and squeezed her hard, too hard if you asked Lena.

She tapped her hand against Fareeha's shoulder, "Alright luv, alright, don't kill me." She gasped for breath when her hold loosened, "We'll see how it goes, I'll let you know."

They started to walk to their lockers, "So how's the cap? Still saving the world by herself?"

Fareeha's smile immediately shifted into a frown, she nodded, "Still obsessed with Reaper. Still doesn't want my help. Still off on her own, occasionally with Jack. _The same_."

Lena wished she hadn't brought it up, remembering too late that her mother was a sore spot, "Hey now, she just wants to protect us, that's just how she is. She's always wanted to protect her family."

Fareeha scoffed, "Protect, but not be around. That doesn't exactly make her a good mother."

Lena opened her mouth to say something, something to defend Ana, or smooth the situation over, but she knew that she'd be lying, instead she just nodded sadly, "No, it doesn't." Deciding a change of topic was needed, she decided to clutch at straws, "You notice anything strange happening lately? That funeral didn't exactly scream Talon, otherwise we would've been watching for it."

Fareeha tilted her head in thought, "You know, that is strange. Normally someone like Banewell would be on Talon's protection list, not attack. Come to think of it a lot of strange things have been happening. Like in Dorado..."

That caught Lena's attention, "Oh?"

"Los Muertos groups have been attacked in Dorado lately, but it doesn't look like gang work. Everything is too _clean_ , just screams military."

"What do you think it could be?"

Fareeha shrugged, "I have absolutely no clue, I'll ask mama when she come by again. Whenever that is..."

Lena placed her hand on her shoulder, "Ana loves you, you know that right?"

Fareeha sniffed, "Sure. Just wish she showed it once in a while."

Their thoughts were interrupted by a thumping on the door, followed by the unmistakable drawl of McCree, "Hey! Are you two done in there? I need to take a shower too!"

Lena thumped right back, "A shower? Has it already been a month since your last?"

"Ha Ha. Just hurry up already!"

Lena turned back to Fareeha, "Catch up some more later?"

She raised her eyebrow, "Later? Are you not staying for the checkup?"

Lena shrugged, "Nah luv, didn't get a scratch on me, just wanna get back to Em and get some sleep."

Fareeha moved in and squeezed her shoulder, "Be careful on your way back, you can call us for help anytime."

Lena nodded, "I know luv, don't worry, you'll be the first person I'll call."

She stepped through the door, throwing goodbyes to all the members still sitting, before exiting out the front door and into the late afternoon of London.

 

As soon as she slipped through the door Lena collapsed face first on her bed, intending to make up for lost time. It was a few minutes later when she felt the bed dip and someone's arms wrap around her that she remembered that Emily was home. She sighed, "Em... Hey luv. 'm back."

Emily chuckled, "I could tell, your jacket still smells like smoke."

Lena idly swiped her hand across her back, "Wot? Aw rubbish."

Wearily, she sat up and leaned back against her girlfriend, eyes still closed but dedicated to talking if that's what Em wanted. Five minutes passed of silent breaths and easy reassurances before Emily finally broke the silence, "So... you want to talk about it?"

Lena shrugged, "Do you really want to hear about it?"

"Of course."

She turned around and pressed a kiss to her lips, "Ok then." She sighed, "It was absolute madness Em. Guns, explosions, the fucking building _exploded_ Em! The whole thing! Banewell isn't just dead, he's _gone_!" She looked at her with wide eyes, "And that still isn't the most insane thing that happened!"

Emily was shocked, she expected gunfights and battle, but what she was describing... that sounded like pure _chaos_. "Something more insane than that?"

Lena looked her in the eye, "Now Em, I want you to be calm when I tell you this. Just remember that I'm right here with you, alright?" Emily nodded, she sighed, "Reaper cornered me."

She gasped, Lena squeezed her hand, "He had me dead to rights, had a guy covering me and was pointing my own pistol at me. And then he fired it."

Emily wrapped her arms around Lena, squeezing her as hard as she could for reassurance, not just for Lena but for herself. "But how are you here?"

"That's the insane thing luv, he didn't shoot me. He shot the guy behind me."

Now Emily was not just horrified, now she was just plain confused, "Reaper? Who works for Talon? Shot a Talon trooper?"

Lena nodded, "And then threw my gun back to me. And then sat down and thanked me."

Emily by now was certain she had gone insane, "Lena... Tell me everything."

 

Ten minutes and two oncoming headaches later, Emily was up to speed on the Reaper situation. That did not, however, mean that she was thrilled by how things had worked out.

"You're _meeting_ him!? _Alone_!?" Emily couldn't be bothered keeping her voice down, and if a situation ever excused yelling, this almost certainly was it.

"Look Em, I'm not thrilled about it either but what can I do? _Not_ meet him?"

Emily threw her arms up, "Actually that was exactly what I was thinking! You can't meet him, what if he hurts you?"

"I think he's had more than enough chances to do that, besides you were fine with me helping Amelie!"

Emily sat down roughly on the bed, "Amelie is a scared woman who is gaining herself back after years of being lost. She needs help, Reaper from what you've told me is just a terrorist, and a bad one."

Lena placed her hand on top of Emily's, "I know what I said luv, and he still is that, but talking to him today... I think he actually cares about her. Not just as an asset, but as a person. You should've heard his voice when he thanked me Em, he wasn't lying."

Emily sighed, holding her head down, "Are you sure about this? Why not call for backup?"

"I promised I wouldn't, so did he. If this is going to work we need to build some trust."

She groaned, "Shite. Can you at least take your guns?"

Lena laughed, "Of course I'll take my guns! I'm an optimist, not an idiot Em!"

Emily patted Lena on the cheek, "The jury is out on that one dear."

Lena looked down sheepishly, "I guess I deserve that. Are we ok?"

Emily pressed her lips to Lena's, holding there for a while and letting her emotions pour into the kiss. Finally, she pulled back and rested her forehead against Lena's, "Of course we are pet. I just want you to be careful, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I promise, if anything goes wrong I'll call for help. Reeha and Hana are still in London, they can be there in no time." Her expression turned serious, "But that's a last resort. This might be my only real chance to help Amelie, I can't waste that."

Emily sighed for what felt like the thousandth time, "There really is no stopping you, just be careful."

"Always."

They fell back together against the bed, staring up at the ceiling and feeling the time drift by. It was after a half hour of feeling something strange that Emily realised what it was; Lena's trigger finger hadn't stopped twitching. "Do you want to talk about today? _Really_ talk?"

Lena huffed, "Am I on the record doc?"

Emily smirked, "I think I can waive the usual patient rates for today, I just want you to get this off your chest."

Lena tried to smile, but shrunk into herself, curling in and letting Emily wrap her arms tight around her.

"I liked it."

Emily cocked an eyebrow, "Liked what?"

"All of it. The fighting, the- the _killing_. Like it was just another game to beat! I blew up a group of soldiers today Em! I stuck a bomb between them, watched them disappear, and didn't care until I washed them off in the shower! It made me feel..." She shuddered, "It made me feel _alive_."

She looked up at Emily, her eyes wide with fear, "I think I'm losing my mind Em."

Emily hugged her tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "Shhh, it's ok. You are not losing your mind Lena Oxton. Be sure of that." She drew back, "Why did you become an Overwatch Agent?"

Lena answered without hesitation, "To protect people."

"And why did you answer the recall?"

Lena gave a small smile, "So that I could protect people."

"There you go. You joined because you want to help people, not to hurt people. Your job doesn't just have the possibility, it _requires_ you to kill to help people. Enjoying your job doesn't make you a monster, or crazy. It makes you human. You can't help how you feel about something, but you can help what you do about it. You don't kill to kill, you kill to _save_." She kissed Lena's forehead, "The fact that you're worried about this says it all. If you really were crazy you just wouldn't care."

"Alright Em..."

Emily drew her head back and stared Lena in her eyes, "No listen to me, you are without a doubt the most selfless, caring, wonderful woman I have ever met in my life, and nothing is going to change that. You have helped so many people, and saved so many lives. You are a hero Lena, and nothing is ever going to change that."

Lena pressed a kiss to Emily's cheek, "Thanks luv."

"You feel better?"

Lena nodded, "Yeah, thank you. I think I needed to hear that."

Emily hummed, "Anytime."

"I have a few hours until I have to meet Reaper, did you want to go do something together? Maybe see a movie or something?"

Emily stretched herself across the bed, "Mmmm what mo-" she shot her head up, "Not Hero of my Storm."

Lena groaned, "Aww come on luv! I just wanna support Hana!"

"You know you talk a lot about Hana but when am I going to get to meet her?"

Lena chuckled, "No offence Em, but I think she might explode if you ever met her."

Emily arched an eyebrow, "Oh? And why's that?"

"Well you can be a little... _Intense_ sometimes."

She shrugged, "I don't see why that's a problem."

Lena threw her arms out, "She's _19_!"

"19, not 9. And a veteran, and a retired professional athlete, and an active Overwatch Agent. If her dating life is what has everyone concerned I think you might want to revisit your official guidelines."

Lena hummed, “Fair point. Wouldn’t matter anyway, she’s taken.”

Emily leaned forward on her hands, "Ooooo by who?

“I’m not telling you her name.”

“Ooooo a her?”

“Em stop!”

 

A few hours later the sun was long gone, and so was Emily. Instead Lena was now standing on the same rooftop that changed everything, wind whipping through her hair and smoke flowing into her lungs as she takes a rough drag on her third cigarette in the last twenty minutes. _I can't believe how much everything's changed._

_“Who is Amelie?” She whispered as tears rolled down her face, “Who was I?”_

She shook her head to clear the thoughts, taking another drag before flicking the butt off the side of the building. A rough chuckle from behind her made her swing around and put her hand on her pistol.

"You know..." Reaper emerged from the shadows, seeming almost like ink in the night, "Those really aren’t good for your health."

She scoffed, "Yeah, neither is meeting Talon leaders on rooftops, I think I'll cut myself some slack."

He laughed again, more fully this time, "You always were strange Oxton."

She stared at him, finally fed up, "Enough! Why do you keep pretending you knew me? Why are you so insistent that you know exactly how I think?"

His mask stared back at her, "Because we did know each other."

She was stunned, "W-what?"

He sighed, "Screw it, about time someone knew." He leaned his head forward and undid the clasp on the back of his head, before looking back up at her. Her mouth dropped open in shock, his hair is short, just slightly longer than a standard military cut, his skin healthy, if somewhat… Ashy. But his eyes are what stick out the most, red, scarlet even, almost glowing in the night. But even with those eyes, and the obvious advancements of age, there is no mistaking who this is. Who the fearsome Reaper _really_ is. She stares in shock at the face of Gabriel Reyes.

"Hey Oxton," He said, a small smile gracing his face, "Long time no see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay! Work built up, and then there was E3, so I just got so distracted! (That Life is Strange trailer though Amirite?) Rest assured I am back now, will hopefully be pushing out two chapters a week starting next week.  
> I do have a plan for this story, but I am sort of flying by the seat of my pants, so there may be occasional delays, but rest assured, I do have a plan in mind!
> 
> For reference sake, discounting details like his red eyes, imagine Reyes looks like this once the mask is off http://senkkeidraws.tumblr.com/post/155943222420/calling-attention-to-reapers-waist
> 
> As always, you can find me at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake, drop on by.


	6. Chapter 6

She took a step back, then another, stumbling into the wall behind her, “G-Gabe?” She shook her head, “Bloody hell is that you?”

Gabriel dropped his mask to the ground, smiling wider now, “It’s me kid, the one and only.”

Before she knew what she was doing, she’d propelled herself forward, her body slamming into his and her arms tightening around his waist, “Jesus Gabe, what _happened_ to you?”

He was stunned by the contact, he expected a lot of reactions, hatred, shock, not exactly… this. Eventually he managed to force his arms up from his sides and awkwardly patted her on the back, “It’s a long story kid,” He chuckled, “Feel like you’re gonna need a drink for it too.”

She brought her head from his chest and looked up at him, “Where abouts?”

He thought for a minute, then shook silently with laughter, “I think I’ve got an idea.”

 

“Gabe,” she huffed as she crept under police tape, “I hope you know this isn’t cool.”

He laughed more fully, his voice vibrating through the abandoned bar, “Come on, you’ve gotta admit it’s a _little_ funny.”

She ducked her head down to hide her slight smirk, “No, I don’t.”

Gabriel crept over to the bar, being careful where he stepped, “Watch your step Ox.” He waved his head at the stained floorboards, obviously still not fully cleaned ever since Banewell breathed his last. He leapt over the bar and started sorting through bottles, finding success with a forty-year-old vintage whiskey. “You still handle your drink?”

Lena stepped gingerly over the blood stain to take a seat at the bar, she rolled her eyes at him, “I’m a bloody vigilante living in the arse end of King’s Row mate. What do _you_ think?”

He chuckled, “I think you might’ve gotten rusty after all these years, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.” Bringing two glasses onto the bar he pours them each a drink, the amber liquid falling and landing smoothly in the glasses. Without hesitation, he grabs his glass and tips it all back in one go, swallowing the drink down in a second. Lena can’t help but notice what looked suspiciously like smoke in the split second that his head was back and his mouth was open, but decided to let it go for now. This day was strange enough already.

She gingerly picks up her glass and decides to do the same, deciding moderate sips can come later. Her throat burns and her chest fills with warmth, and she all but slams the glass back down on the counter. He smirks, “How was that?”

She chuckles, “Shite, gimme another.”

 

They’re on their third drink before they decide to speak about the reason why they are there. “Gabe,” She began cautiously, “How did this happen? All of this?”

He sighed, “I was tired Oxton, of everything.” He took another sip, “Overwatch, Blackwatch, the fucking boy scout. I just wanted an out.” He smirked bitterly, “Guess I got it.”

“But… How?”

He shut his eyes, a memory coming that was still painful, “When the Base exploded, the day me and Jack got declared dead, he got away fine.” He smirked, “Well, fine- _ish_. I didn’t.” He looked at his hand and clenched it tight, “My arm was gone, ribs were in my lungs, I couldn’t see out my right eye. I was dying.” He looked at Lena, “And then I was dead.”

Her eyes went wide, “Dead?”

He nodded, “Yeah, no pulse, organs shut down. I couldn’t get deader.” He grimaced, “And then the ‘ _Angel_ ’ showed up. She just couldn’t believe it, couldn’t accept it.” He gripped his glass tightly until spider webs appeared in the glass, “Didn’t think that maybe it was what I _wanted_.” He scoffed, “So, in her infinite mercy, she brought me back.” He looked at Lena, the look in his eyes both haunted and furious, “Do you know what it’s like? Your organs stitching themselves back together? Your body _regrowing_? Your entire body being rebuilt atom by painful fucking atom? The real mercy would have been leaving me to die.”

“But she’s done that to us a few times, how did-”

He cut her off, “When she did it to you, you weren’t gone more than a few seconds, barely enough time for your heart to stop beating. I’d been gone twenty minutes, and she hadn’t tested it before. When I came to I was screaming so hard blood was coming out of my mouth, and then I fell apart.”

Lena gasped in horror, “ _Fell apart?_ ”

He shrugged, “It felt like I was everywhere and nowhere all at once, like I could float on the wind or sink to the bottom of the ocean. Like I was freezing to death and burning alive all at once.” He mumbled to himself, “It still feels that way.” He shook his head, “Anyway, I blacked out again, came to in Italy about five days later. Looked at a newspaper and saw that I was dead. Figured I’d keep it that way.”

She put her hand on his shoulder, “Is that when Talon came for you?”

He sighed deeply, “Talon didn’t come for me. I went to them.”

“But- but _why_?”

His eyes started burning with a fury long supressed, “Because I wanted Jack dead. I still want him dead, and they can help with that. Everything else that I did, trying to kill Winston, shooting at you, at McCree, at the captain’s daughter. _Everything_ is secondary to him, I could give a damn if the rest of you destroy Talon or not, I will put all my effort into killing him, no matter who gets in the way.”

She leans back, intimidated by his speech, “I thought you two were close. You, Jack, Ana, you were inseparable. What happened?”

He shrugged again, “Things change Oxton. You’ve spoken to two Talon members in the last few days that can attest to that.” His expression turns almost wistful, “We were close… Once. Right up until we weren’t. And now we’re gonna fight, until one of us dies.” He drained his drink, “Way it goes.”

She refilled his glass, “When do you think it started?”

He sniffed, “When he became commander, maybe. Decision never sat right with me. Can’t say I was surprised though.”

“Why not?”

He scoffed, “He was a good old blonde haired, blue eyed farm boy from Indiana. I was a big, scary Mexican guy from LA. You do the math.”

Her mouth dropped, “Surely you don’t-”

“Even the UN isn’t immune to that sorta shit Oxton. But even if it wasn’t that, can you imagine my scary ass mug on every poster around the globe?”

She chuckled, “Fair point.”

“But nah, I could deal with that. I was pissed, but I could deal with it. Then they put me on Blackwatch.” He took a gulp and shook his head, “From day one Jack was against it. ‘ _We don’t need them_.’ ‘ _They’re a disgrace, a bunch of criminals_.’ That old bullshit. Yeah he was real against it till he needed them for something.”

He looked at Lena, “You know I thought about recruiting you?”

She was surprised, “What? Me?”

“Hell yeah, girl who controls time? You have any idea how easy sabotage would be? Acquisition? Assassination? Shit, you’re a Black Ops fantasy.” He sniffed, “Good thing I didn’t though. Look at what it did to Jesse and Genji. And me, well…”

He turned his head, “How are they?”

She shrugged, “Jesse is Jesse, angry all the time. Enjoys killing, hates Talon. Don’t know how he’d feel about you.”

He frowned, “Betrayed probably. Can’t blame him, it’s true.”

“Genji is better. He’s been learning from Zenyatta, learning control, that sort of thing.” She smiled, “He seems at peace now.”

He smiled despite himself, “Good, he deserves that. After the shit we all made him do. All of us are to blame for that, me, Jack, Angela. We fucked him up. I’m glad he’s happy.”

She leaned forward, “Is that why? Because of what happened to your friends?”

He grimaced, “Do you know how many soldiers I lost Oxton?” She shook her head, “Eighty Seven. Now I know that doesn’t sound like much, but I hand-picked all of them. No one signed up, no one saw Blackwatch and decided they wanted to make a difference.” He finished another drink, “They all had either nowhere to go or were going to rot in some shitty forced retirement after they did something dumb and heroic. I picked them up, I trained them, I _moulded_ them. You don’t do that and not see someone as family.”

He poured yet another drink, he’d lost count by now, “And Jackie Boy made me send them out into whatever shit he decided he wanted them for. ‘ _Clear these forces before we make contact_!’ ‘ _Take out this squad leader before their forces can mobilise_!’ And when they came home, _if_ they came home, they got a stern talking to and a ‘ _fuck off_ ’. No thanks, no appreciation, just being called a bunch of criminals.”

“If an Overwatch Agent died they got a parade, a plaque to remember them by and a 21-gun salute. My soldiers got an unmarked box, if they were lucky enough to get their body picked up off the battlefield.”

She looked at him, “What did you mean about the wall?” He looks at her confused, “You said you put my name up on the wall. What did you mean.”

His face dropped as he remembered, “I put your name on the memorial wall after, you know. They didn’t see why, you weren’t Overwatch then so it didn’t make sense to put your name on the wall. I disagreed.”

She raised her eyebrow in confusion, “But my name wasn’t on that wall when I came back.”

He picked up his drink and swallowed bitterly, “Yeah, they took it down when you came back, since you were alive the higher ups didn’t see why you should be on the memorial wall.”

“But weren’t they right?”

He slammed his glass down, “No! They weren’t! That wall was for people who made that sacrifice! Who got out of bed one morning and didn’t get back in, because of what we asked them to do! _You_ did that, _you_ sacrificed everything!” He pointed harshly at her chest, “You think you just got your life back? That you can live normally after what happened?” She looked down and didn’t answer, “Yeah, that’s what I thought. You might not be dead Oxton, but don’t think that you didn’t lose your life. For your name not to be on that wall is an insult.”

“How many of your men were on that wall?”

He scoffed, “None of them.” She tilted her head, he looked at her and smirked sadly, “Deniable ops. How can someone be dead if they never existed in the first place?” He tapped the side of his head, “No, all my guys names are in here. At least someone’ll remember them.”

She paused for a while, not having any idea of what to say. Until, suddenly, she did. “Could you tell me about them?”

He looked at her in surprise, of all the things he thought she’d ask that certainly was not on the list. _Fuck it, I’ve had a few drinks, maybe someone should know. Maybe it won’t hurt so much now._

It takes him a few tries to get started, his mouth opening and closing, trying to pick someone to start with. _So many to choose from._ The thought makes a bolt of pain shoot through his heart. “There was this one guy, Emmanuel. Biggest fuckin’ skirt-chaser you ever saw.” He chuckles, “Pretty much every time we left on a mission there was some woman trailing behind him as we were leaving, his shirt untucked, his dick barely squared away, hoping that he can jump on the back of the truck, because _of course_ we are leaving without him and laughing all the while. Every goddamn time.” He smiled, “Manny loved to dance, charmed a lot of the ladies with it but that wasn’t why. He loved the movement, the _feeling_. Never a moment when he was still, always moving to some kind of groove. Taught me a few moves too.” He looked to his side and saw Lena looking at him with a small smile.

His face dropped, “He was killed in a Null Sector attack. We were retreating, turned around a corner and a Detonator was right in our face. Most of us jumped out of the way but Manny was too slow. Detonator went off and that was that. Nothing left.” He felt something on his hand and saw Lena was squeezing it softly, he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“There was Cassandra. Toughest woman I ever met. Beat me a few times when we were sparring, and that pretty much never happened. She was obsessed with not showing weakness, which in the military’s shitty outdated model, basically meant anything feminine. Never wore dresses, swore like you wouldn’t believe, drank like you’ve never seen and fought like she loved it.” His eyes were growing wet but he ignored it, “She loved to bake though, would _kick your ass_ if you mentioned it, but she couldn’t drill it out of herself. Eventually I got roped into helping, and she somehow got Genji in as well. Really helped him come out of his shell for a while. She cared about her friends. _So, so much_. She’d do anything for them.”

He shakily took another sip, “We were walking through the city one day, scouting out some anti-omnic extremists that we’d been engaging for a couple days. We were walking down the street, scanning every corner, checking every foot, when she took a round. Sniper, right through her heart.” Tears slowly started falling from his eyes, “All I could do was drag her into cover and hold her hand while she died. And she did. Squeezing my hand so fucking hard and bleeding onto some fucking dead-end street in the middle of NOWHERE!” He hurled his glass into the wall and slammed his head into his hands.

“We weren’t even supposed to be there! It was a fucking PR move! Some UN asshole thought it would make good press if Overwatch cleared them out, so _of course_ the ‘Expendable’ team went in first. My soldiers fought, my soldiers bled, my soldiers _fucking died_ , and they got NOTHING!”

Lena squeezed his shoulder, hard, let him know that he wasn’t alone. Not here, not now. He looked at her sadly, “I can’t talk about this anymore Lena. I can’t… Not now.”

She put her arms around him, “S’alright big guy. You can tell me more some other time, when you’re ready.” She looked at him and he saw she was crying too, “They sound like wonderful people. They sound like _heroes_. They deserve to be remembered.”

He nodded, “I will, some day. Just… not now.” He coughed, “Jesus I can’t lose any more people Ox, you have to help her. You have to help Amelie.”

She shook her head, “What can I do? What makes _me_ so bloody qualified for something like this?”

He gave a small laugh, “Well you won’t shoot her on sight, so that puts you above the rest of Overwatch.”

She huffed, “Well where should we meet? How are we going to talk?”

“Let me know where you want to meet for now, I’ll tell her. Once you meet you can sort your own system out, the fewer moving pieces this has the better.”

She tapped her chin for a few seconds, before the answer seemed obvious, “The Royal Opera House. On the roof, obviously. That’s where we met for the first time.” She smiled, “Well, I was in the crowd and she made eye contact for a second. She was so beautiful.” She trailed off and noticed Gabriel staring at her.

“Jesus. You are head over fucking heels, aren’t you?”

She blushed, “S-shut up.”

He laughed and clapped her on the back, “Don’t worry about it, pretty sure she’s the same. Even if she doesn’t realise it yet.” He thought for a second, “Can you be there in two days? 2200 hours?”

She nodded without hesitation.

“Good,” He smirked, “Guess it’s a date.”

She slapped him on the shoulder, grinning widely, “God you’re a wanker, I forgot about that!” She smiled at him warmly, “Thank you Gabe. I mean that.”

He chuckled, “What is it with you two? You’re making me want to do some good again.”

She giggled, “Oh yeah? And how’re you gonna do that then?”

He smirked darkly, “Heard you got a problem with anti-omnics. Figure I’ll help out.”

She dropped her smile, “What are you going to do?”

Gabriel shook his head, “We’re having a nice moment Oxton. I don’t wanna fuck it up by telling you something that’ll make you lose sleep tonight.”

“But-”

He cut her off sharply, “ _Don’t_ Lena. You can’t change my mind, and you can’t help them. Just drop it.” He looked at his watch, “Think it’s time you got home anyway. It’s late, Emily’s probably worried about you hanging around the big, bad Reaper.”

She widened her eyes, “You know about Emily?”

He scoffed, “Of _course_ I know about Emily, so does Sombra, and so does Amelie. No one else though, don’t worry. She’ll be safe.” He clicked his tongue, “Out of curiosity, does she know about…?”

She nodded shyly, “We-we’re working out an understanding. She’s nice like that.”

“Good.” He smiled, “Sounds like a keeper.”

Lena smiled to herself, “Yeah. Yeah she is.”

They were silent for a few minutes, before Gabriel clapped his hands on the bar, “Alright, go time. Pick up your shit, we’ve both gotta get going.”

 

They were both standing outside the bar, jackets flapping in the wind and their insides warm from whiskey. Lena turned to Gabriel and before he could say anything she’d buried herself in his chest again, “It was good to see you again Gabe. I missed you, we all did.”

He chuckled and patted her back, “I’ll see you again sometime kid, I’ve got your back. Don’t worry. Now go, get back home.”

She backed away, throwing a two-fingered salute, “See ya later Gabe, don’t be a stranger!”

He waved lazily, “I’ll be around.”

And like that, she was gone in a blink of light. Gabriel stared at the same spot for a few seconds before shaking his head and walking the other direction. He clicked his comm-link on and spoke lowly, “Sombra, are you there?”

A giggle floated into his ear, “Always here _camarada_ , what do you need?”

“I need the location of that Humanity League HQ you found the other day.”

The idle tap of keys floated through the comm before a triumphant laugh, “All yours _Señor muerte_.”

Reaper chuckled darkly, smoke drifting out of his mouth as he dissolved into shadow.

“Let’s have some fun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck me, hope you like characters talking. Next chapter you'll get a taste of what Reaper can REALLY do, just because he's trying to do right by Lena and Amelie doesn't mean he's any less ruthless.  
> As time goes on I'll try and reveal some more backstories for soldiers that he lost, I really enjoyed writing Manny and Cassandra, even though they are only there for a paragraph each. Teared up a bit writing them.
> 
> Also holy shit over 100 Kudos! That's insane, thank you so much! Thinking I might do a one-shot to celebrate but not sure what yet. I'll have to be careful as well, THIS was meant to be a one-shot.
> 
> Please leave comments! Always cheers me up if I'm getting down, even if it's just a tiny "Nice work!", or something like that.
> 
> As always, I can be found at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake, come give me a follow if you want, right now it's mostly pornbots following me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From now on I will be listing any trigger warnings for chapters in the end notes, so if you are concerned about any content, scroll on down there. Nothing too bad so far, but just in case you know?

“Talk to me Sombra, what’ve we got?” Reaper shifted impatiently, “I’m sat here on a rooftop covered in gutter water and bird shit, I’d prefer to get moving.”

He could almost hear her waving his concern away, “Geez calm down _bebe grande_ , I’m doing work here.” The rhythmic taps of keys came through the comm as she shifted from camera to camera, “Looks like you have ten men outside, lightly armored, not really expecting a fight.” She shifted to the interior, “’Bout twenty more inside, couple shotguns, not really anything heavier. Should be no problem.”

He tightened the suppressor on his pistol, pulling back the slide and clicking it closed with a satisfied hum, “Good, I’m gonna try and keep this quiet, no sense in causing the neighbours any issues.”

Sombra hummed over the comm, “Mmm yeah, that would make Lena a bit angry, wouldn’t it?”

He paused, “Sombra? Were you listening to us?”

The silence over the air was heavy, “…I mean, you didn’t tell me _not_ to.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Sombra…”

“I just wanted to make sure you were safe Gabi! What if she came packing?”

He rolled his eyes, “She _did_. If it came to that, I could’ve handled it.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t back you up.”

He shrugged, “Guess not… Thanks. But in future Sombra, I’d like a bit of privacy when we talk. Can you do that?”

Sombra’s smirk was audible, “I’m still gonna look through the cameras, but I won’t listen in any more. Fair?”

Reaper shook his head fondly, “Fair.”

He pulled his hood up, tucked his pistol into its holster and cracked his knuckles, “Alright, how fast do you reckon I can clear the ones on the outside?”

“Hmmm… ten guys? I give you a minute flat.”

“A _minute_? That’s insulting.”

She chuckled, “You’re the one who wanted to do this quiet _old man_. Plus I’m willing to bet you have about a half bottle of whiskey in your stomach no?”

He grunted, “Fair point. I want you to cut the lights in ten seconds. Got it?”

She clicked her tongue, “ _Si_ , when they shut off, you’ll have about five seconds to get in position, so move your ass.”

He stepped back along the rooftop, counting to ten in his head, once he reached six, he started sprinting. He took a leap off the rooftop right as the lights shut off, aiming for a shipping container that was off to the side of the warehouse the Humanity League called their headquarters, landing in a roll with only a slight groan of metal to betray his presence. Caught off guard by the darkness, the guards below him didn’t notice him.

The first guard never knew what happened, his neck being crushed under Reapers boot as he dropped from the container directly onto him, his partner turned at the noise but within a split second found two bullets in his chest and one in his forehead. He dropped in a bloody heap right as Reaper slinked past him, keeping close to the wall.

He peered around the corner, seeing a guard cautiously approaching the corner of the container. With only three seconds left before the lights turned back on, Reaper acted fast. He struck like a viper, his fingers finding a grip on the man’s windpipe, before pulling back viciously around the corner. If being thrown through the air by his windpipe did not snuff out his life, being slammed headfirst into the concrete with the strength of a genetically modified monster certainly did.

Right as the lights began to flicker back on he placed a round in the spotlight directly above the bodies and took a diving roll to the other side of the walkway. Idly, he noticed a few drops of water falling onto his shoulder, before a steady downpour began to fall over the warehouse. As the first distant roars of thunder sounded, Reaper grinned. _Guess I won’t have to be so quiet once I get in_.

He melted back in shadow as he sensed two guards about to pass by, each one not realising they stepped within two inches of him. They didn’t even have time to scream as he covered one’s mouth and placed the tip of his suppressor against the others ear. He left them enough time to realise what was happening before he pulled the trigger, snapping the neck of the one in his grip as easily as crushing a paper cup. He discarded of him just as simply.

The last five guards, spooked that their companions hadn’t returned, had set themselves up around a flickering barrel fire, each facing a different direction. Smirking to himself, Reaper grabbed a stray piece of rebar from the ground next to him. Taking aim at the thug facing away from his direction, he drew his arm back and threw with all his might. The rebar pierced clean through the guards back, exiting out of his chest and taking him to the ground, a wet scream tearing its way from his throat. The other guards, horrified by this display, for a split second found their attention drawn to their fallen comrade.

A split second later two of their heads burst, their bodies collapsing backwards onto the wet concrete. When the last two members turned at the sound they barely had time to even think about raising their weapons before their heads were grabbed in hands that were far too strong to belong to any human. The last thing that ever passed through their minds before their skulls collided in a sickening crunch was fear.

Chuckling to himself, Reaper pressed his finger to his comm, “How long was that?”

Sombra sounded bored when she replied, “Fifty-six seconds, not bad old man.”

He huffed a laugh, “Yeah well, these were amateurs, nothing that…” He stopped as he noticed a voice carrying over the fire, stepping around he found the soldier from before with rebar clean through his chest. Alive? Yes. Dying? Definitely. Speaking into a radio? _Shit._

“P-Please, lock… down…” His words were cut off as a bullet tore through the top of his head and exited through his jaw, killing him instantly. Reaper, now mildly annoyed, bent down to pick up the radio, bringing it to his mouth before growling into it.

“You heard the man. Batten down the hatches. _The Devil’s here._ ” He crushed the radio in his hand and dropped it onto the corpse. He was about to take a step towards the entrance before Sombra’s voice once again drifted into his ears.

“A minute and six seconds. Pretty bad old man.”

He growled and stomped towards the warehouse, “Shut up.”

 

No more than five seconds passed inside before Francis Anders met with his teammates, retreating further into the building and shutting every door they came across, passing similar small squads along the way. Even as they passed further in however, they could still hear gunshots coming from the entrance. Scattered and muffled by the steel walls, but clearly gunshots. And clearly the attacker was winning.

Finally, they reached their destination, two doors from their leader, they were one of the last walls of defence. The thought was not comforting to them.

“Who is it? Fucking clankers?” Davis asked, nervously pacing backwards and forwards, pointing his gun at the door anytime he heard one of their comrade’s scream, “They’re fucking slaughtering us!”

Francis cleared his throat and kept low, keeping his weapon trained on the door at all times, “It doesn’t matter who they are, they’re not getting through.”

Davis was not convinced, “Not getting through? That’s exactly what they’re doing!” He shouted across the room to another of their squad who was leaning against the wall, “Gaz, you think they’re getting through?”

Gaz nodded, “Yeah I think they’re getting through.”

“You see? Even Gaz thinks they’re getting through! We should just run!”

At this Francis brought his head up, “Just run? And what about the League?”

Davis threw his hands in the hair, “Oh fuck the league! We can deal with the clankers on our own time, we don’t need this shit!”

Their last teammate, Henry, who everyone there considered a true believer, shook his head, “You wanna leave? Fine then, leave.” He gestured at the door, “But the exit’s that way. Good luck getting through.”

He threw his head into his hands, “We’re dead. Bloody hell we’re so dead!” Suddenly the room before theirs erupted in noise, screams and panicked gunshots filtering through the metal door. Everyone, even Davis, got into position, training their weapons on the door and flicking off their safeties. It was only a few short seconds before there was silence, a terrible, horrifying silence.

“Alright, Davis I want you to light up anything that comes through that door. Don’t worry about conserving ammo just light it up.”

Davis nodded, “You got it mate.”

“Gaz, you hang back and take aim, make your shots count while they're confused.”

Gaz pulled the slide of his pistol back in reply, “Won’t know what hit ‘em.”

“And Hen-” Francis looked around the room for any sign of their last member, “Where the fuck is Henry?”

As if in reply, his body fell to the ground with a sickening thud. His head joined it a second afterwards. Davis yelped and scurried backwards, backing into someone. His heart started racing when he realised it wasn’t either of his remaining teammates. Looking up, he stared directly into the blood red eyes of what he knew right then to be no less than a demon. The demon grinned in response.

“Death has come for you.”

He screamed as a hand came down to close around his throat, effortlessly lifting him into the air and snatching the shotgun from his hands. He had a second to realise it was pressed against his chest when the room exploded in noise, his chest and everything contained within painting the floor behind him. He was conscious just long enough to be aware of flying through the air, before he slammed with a wet thud against the concrete wall. He was spared the horror of what happened next.

Gaz forgot all about picking his shots, unloading as fast as he could into the demonic creature before him. He used every shot he had, but to his confusion and, as it started moving towards him, horror, he saw that they passed effortlessly through him, as though he wasn’t even there in the first place. When a blast from the shotgun separated his forearm from his elbow, he was certain it was there.

The demon sped forward, grabbing onto both sides of his head and looking into his eyes. The demon’s eyes seemed to shift and change, and Gaz became aware of something strange, almost like a tugging sensation in his chest. He was hit with a pain like no other he had ever experience, as though every nerve ending in his body had been dipped in acid, and saw something drifting into the monster’s mouth. With a sudden feeling of revulsion, he realised it was coming out of him.

Francis stopped shooting altogether when he saw what was happening to Gaz, his skin shrivelling and turning grey, his eyes sinking further into his skull and becoming white. It looked as if the life was literally being drained out of him, and it looked horrifically painful. He suddenly realised that he had no hope of surviving here, and with that realisation came a sudden wave of despair, but also clarity. He knew there was only one option for him in this case. Francis Anders raised his weapon and fired one shot, falling limply to the ground next to Henry. The world would not mourn his loss, it would not even remember his name.

 

Reaper cracked his neck as he finished with the last room, wiping his hands off on one of the last guards to stand between him and the leader.

“So,” he said, wiping blood off the door handle, “How was that?”

A scoff came over the comm, “Gross. Was the soul thing really necessary?”

He chuckled, “I had some frustration to work out.”

“Well that’s great, _Es maravilloso_!” The crinkling of a wrapper could clearly be heard, “Well I’m not hungry anymore. Hope you’re happy.”

He smirked as he turned the handle, nudging the door with his foot and standing tall as it swung open. With his height and the almost literal bloodbath behind him, he was a very imposing figure. So much so that the leader involuntarily whimpered behind his desk.

“Yorkie Smythe,” Reaper drawled lazily as he stepped into the room, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silence, “You and I need to talk.”

The man shrunk into his seat, “Please I-I don’t have money…”

Reaper clucked his tongue, “Well, _that’s_ not true, but I wouldn’t want it anyway.”

“T-Then what _do_ you want?”

Reaper grabbed the edge of the desk, splintering the wood as he clutched harder, “You are going to tell me who every single one of your backers and agents are. Every politician, every celebrity, every fucking janitor. I don’t care.”

Yorkie gestured at the computer, “T-They’re all on there.”

He shook his head, “No, not those ones. I want the ones you _don’t_ put down on paper, the really important ones that you keep in here.” He tapped the side of his head, “The dirty little secrets in all the dirty little places, like the police, or parliament. The ones you couldn’t risk getting found out.”

“I-I can’t…”

He scoffed, “You can, and you will. Or I’ll make you feel it when you die.”

Yorkie’s eyes widened, “Please! I have a family!”

Reaper sighed, “Why does anyone ever think I care about that? Look, Yorkie,” He leaned in close, “It’s very important you know what kind of person I am. So, let me tell you that I am not lying when I say that I would splatter your wife’s brains all over you if I thought it would prove a point.” He stepped back, “Now talk.”

“I-if I tell you… Will you let me go?”

Reaper shook his head, “No. But I’ll make it not hurt.”

Yorkie exhaled shakily, looking down at his lap, taking his time to raise his head again, “Ok. Ok I’ll tell you…”

 

It took some time before he was finished with all the names, and by the end Reaper was worried. The fact that they had people in the Police force and in Parliament was bad, but not surprising. What was alarming was the news that they had people infiltrating the UN as interns, assistants, ground level positions that wouldn’t raise any suspicion. In a few years, they would have a not insignificant number of people on the inside, and that would be disastrous. In good conscience, Gabriel could not allow this to happen.

“That’s it.” Yorkie sighed as he finished, “That’s all of them. Every single one.”

Reaper tapped idly on his pistol, “You’re not leaving any out, are you?”

Yorkie shook his head, “If I was gonna do that I wouldn’t’ve told you about the UN. That’s all of them.” He bowed his head, “Now just make it quick.”

Reaper took his pistol out and checked the chamber, before holding it at his side, “Tell me Yorkie.” Yorkie lifted his head up, “How many attacks have you committed? How many omnics are dead because of your organisation?”

“What do you care?”

Reaper narrowed his eyes, “Answer the question.”

He sighed, “I don’t know. One hundred? Two hundred? It could be three hundred, who cares anyway? They don’t matter.”

Reaper sighed and shook his head, “Alright. Get on your knees.”

Yorkie stood and walked to the other side of his desk, getting down and closing his eyes. He let his breath out shakily and felt tears falling down his face, “Ok. Do it.”

He was expecting a sudden nothingness, a plunge into whatever came after your life is snuffed out. He did not expect his shoulder to explode and to be suddenly screaming on the floor. He flopped around desperately on the ground, trying to stop the bleeding with the one arm he had left that wasn’t useless, “You said it wouldn’t hurt!”

Reaper shrugged and grabbed Yorkie’s head, “I was lying.” He twisted his head viciously, the snap of his spinal cord echoing in the empty room, before his corpse dropped limply to the ground. “Prick.”

He stood and started walking to the exit, “You get those names?”

Sombra sounded almost insulted when she replied, “ _Did I get those names_? Just who do you think I am? Of course I got them.” She cleared her throat and calmed down, “Want me to send them to _araña_?”

He grunted, “Send them through, I’ll talk to her tonight in more detail. Gotta talk to her about Ox anyway.”

“Oooo yeah what’s the story with those two anyway? I did some digging but I couldn’t find much. Was it an affair gone wrong kind of thing?”

He huffed, “It went wrong, yeah. But I’m not gonna tell you, ask her.”

She groaned, “Aw come on Gabby! She won’t tell me anything!”

Gabriel chuckled, “Then you’ll never know. I’m not saying anything before she does. Nothing’s gonna change that.”

She sighed, “You think she’s gonna go for Oxton? Help take down these big, bad racists? Shit, you think _Oxton_ might help her?”

He shrugged, “I don’t know. I can’t even begin to imagine what goes through their heads about each other. I just know that whatever happens, I’m in their corner. You?”

Sombra didn’t hesitate for even a second, “Yeah I’m behind them. Amelie is my friend Gabe, I don’t say that about many people and mean it. And Oxton? She seems alright, bit naïve, sure, but alright. If she cares about Amelie then I’ll watch her back as well.”

Gabriel smiled and strolled out of the chaos of the night, “That’s all I needed to hear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Suicide mention, general blood and gore, minor torture
> 
> Well there's another chapter! Sorry about the delay, work and illness have been kicking my ass, plus I've been looking into freelance writing work, so that's fun. It'd be nice to have money for things.  
> I always imagined Reaper would be absolutely terrifying to fight against, and if you're a common foot soldier, you probably don't have a chance in hell of defeating him. Just count the seconds till you're gone. I figured it'd be a nice introduction to this side of him to feature him slaughtering a bunch of racists, not really much to feel bad about on his part or ours!
> 
> I really appreciate your comments last chapter! Really made the last week alot better, a nice distraction from blocked noses and coughing blood to be sure! A special thanks to HoBo13 for reminding me that Gabriel is Mexican and not African-American. I will be sure to be even more particular with my research, I can't believe I missed that detail.
> 
> As always, I can be found here https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake, and if you like this story, tell your friends! The more the merrier!
> 
> Translations:  
> Bebe Grande - Big Baby  
> Es maravilloso! - That's Wonderful!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes, if you would prefer to play it safe, check those before reading.

Another windy night, another cigarette between her lips, Lena Oxton found herself waiting for another meeting with someone she should by all accounts be shooting on sight. The last few days had not been good for her already conflicted feelings of who her enemies were.

When she heard the tell-tale click and hiss of a grappling hook behind her, she supposed she should stand, but couldn’t really bring herself to. Instead she stayed seated, gazing over the bright London skyline and losing herself in the endless lights, not even shifting when the woman she was there to meet came and took a seat next to her.

“You know _Cherie_ , those are quite dangerous for you…” Amelie looked at her with a small smile, one that might be mistaken as a trick of the mind, “They might get you before I get the chance.”

Lena huffed a small laugh, “Jokes already? You must be making good progress.” She snuffed the cigarette out underneath her boot, sighing deeply.

Amelie arched her eyebrow, “You do not seem to be happy about this meeting.”

She waved her hand, “It’s not that it’s just… I’ve been thinking about this meeting for seven years. Now that it’s here I just… I don’t know how to feel.”

The sniper nodded, “I believe I know what you mean.”

“How’s that going by the way? Haven’t heard from Gabe since we met.”

Amelie shifted, “Things are… Progressing. He gave me time off to sort things through. I’m feeling things, things I haven’t felt in a very long time. I didn’t realise how long a time it had been though…” She looked at Lena, “I’m remembering more now, but I don’t know how to sort through it all.”

Lena cocked her head to the side, “What sort of things luv? Dates? Places? People?”

Amelie looked down at her hands, “I… I am remembering me. And I’m also remembering you.” She sought Lena’s hand, she flinched at the contact, but a split second later Lena was gripping her hand tightly, “Who were we Lena? To each other?”

Lena was having a hard time keeping her emotions in check, her eyes watering even as she exhaled a shaky breath, “We were everything to each other. God… We were together before I even joined Overwatch.”

Amelie felt her eyes widen, “But… My husband…”

“Was never around.” She looked at Amelie, the tears making their way freely down her face, “You loved him, god you loved him, and he loved you. But you deserved so much more than just sitting alone at home waiting weeks on end for someone to come back to you.” She sniffed, “I think maybe he might have known. But I guess we’ll never find out.”

Amelie’s reply was all but a whisper, “Because I killed him…”

Lena nodded, “I always wondered why, how? What happened? If it was all just… just a lie.” She ran a hand through her hair, “What happened Amelie? What really happened?”

“Gabriel says I was kidnapped, tortured, brainwashed into a puppet. Then turned loose. I remember being found by Overwatch, I remember Gerard taking me in his arms and getting me to the doctor. The tests… The interrogations… Then finding out that you were _gone_.”  She stared out into the city, idly watching as cars travelled back and forth in the night, “Gerard took me home, held me for hours, promised he would keep me safe. Then a few weeks later I placed a pistol underneath his chin and fired. A successful kill.”

The truth was both better and worse than what Lena hoped for, she squeezed Amelie’s hand again, “It’s not your fault.”

Amelie laughed, the sound a lot more wet than she would have thought, “Do not worry, I know who the blame rests with. I have a list.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

She chuckled darkly, “I believe I will start crossing names off.”

Lena looked into her eyes, “Even now? Even when you’re just remembering who you were?”

Amelie shook her head sadly, “Who I _was_ does not change who I _am_ _Cherie_. For better or worse, this is who I am now. Now I have a chance to make sure it never happens again.”

She stood and walked to the edge of the building, looking down to the ground so very far below them, “I cannot ask your help for what I need to do.”

Lena spoke again from right beside her, “You don’t have to Am. You never have to ask for my help ever again.”

Amelie felt her mouth drop open, “But… You know what I must do. You know that I must kill, I must _murder_.” She grabbed Lena’s arm, “You are a _hero_ , you cannot do this with me. You cannot stain your hands with this.”

Lena placed her hand on Amelie’s cheek, running her thumb back and forth the flawless bone, “Luv… I lived seven years without you. Seven long years of seeing you try and murder me and everyone I still had left. Seven years of wondering if you ever really loved me or if it was just one big joke.” She growled, her teeth flashing in the night in a vicious scowl, “And now you know who was responsible? I will take them all apart, piece by piece, hero or no hero. My hands are already stained with enough blood from people far less guilty than them, what’s a few more drops?”

Amelie leaned into the hand, “If we are to do this… We must see it through to the end. No shortcuts, no compromises. No _mercy_. Can you stomach this _bien-aimé_?”

“I’ll never stop feeling guilty for all the people I’ve killed, every soldier, every omnic, all of them, I’ll remember every single one. But these people? The sodding monsters who took the most wonderful thing in my life and twisted it, _mutilated_ it? Broke your mind and your spirit and turned you loose? I will happily see this through to the end. It might be hard for me… to deal with. But I need to do this. _We_ need to do this.”

Amelie stepped in front of Lena and placed both her hands on her face, “That is all I needed to hear _mon amour_.” Their lips met in a silent movement, their bodies moving in synch with each other. They tasted tears on each other’s lips and moved even closer together. Their kiss tasted like sorrow, like hope, like a thousand forgotten promises just now being realised.

It tasted like home.

 

“You know you cannot tell anyone about this.”

Lena barked out a laugh, “God you think I’m mad luv? They’d throw me in the brig if they even so much as smelt you on me.”

Amelie grimaced slightly, “That’s a much more… evocative image than I imagine you meant.”

Lena turned red and slapped her lightly on the shoulder, “You know what I meant! But yeah I think we need to be careful, even more careful than about the killing. At least that they’d understand.”

“What about your little girlfriend? Would she understand?”

Lena smiled, “Emily? Trust me, she’s probably one of the biggest reasons I’m here right now. She’ll more than understand luv, she’s a hell of a woman. Do _you_ understand? Where this leaves us?”

Amelie looked melancholic for a few seconds, “I was out of your life for a long time, and I’ve been trying to kill you for longer than we were together. It wouldn’t be fair to ask to be your only, which leaves me… unsure to be honest.”

Lena squeezed her shoulder, “We can figure it out, together. She might be a tad scared of you at first but she’ll get used to you. I was scared when I first met you as well.”

She chuckled, “I was not a wanted assassin back then Lena, I think her introduction might be rougher.”

“Hmm, fair point.”

Amelie sat up straight, “Ah, before I forget, I have a small gift from Gabriel.” She fished around inside her coat before pulling out a thumb drive, “Lists of undercover agents from the Humanity League, everywhere from the Police to the UN. We figured you could give your opinion on what you want done, they were in your home after all.”

This was a more complicated issue for Lena. On the one hand, she despised the Humanity League and everything they stood for, on the other, she couldn’t justify wholesale slaughter to herself like she could with those who hurt Amelie. _Take a breath Oxton, think like a soldier. You make these decisions every day._ She inhaled, then exhaled, mulling over her options all the while. Finally, she looked up at the Frenchwoman.

“I’ll look into it, but I think if it’s anything like what I think it is, we should leave the smaller ones. I’ll give that information to Overwatch, same with the information on the agents inside the police. Parliament and the UN are more complicated. If news gets out about sleeper agents then there could be a panic.” She sighed, “I think we should take care of them ourselves.”

Amelie nodded, “A surprising plan from you, but certainly not a bad one.”

Lena nodded grimly, “I guess my accelerator isn’t the only reason Gabe wanted to recruit me…”

It was frightening to her how easily she could plan to kill potentially dozens, most of which would never see it coming, all for the good of the world. What frightened her more however, was that it wasn’t bothering her nearly as much as she thought it should. Amelie seemed to pick up on her thinking, shifting closer to her.

“Choosing to end a handful of lives to save thousands is not a choice that makes you evil, as much as it may feel like it. Only the truly self-righteous would choose to not make that choice and call themselves heroes.”

She smiled, “Thanks luv. I needed to hear that.” She looked at her watch, “Shite, Em must be worried sick, I’ve gotta go.” She turned to Amelie, “Meet at the harbour in three days? We can come up with a plan then.”

Amelie smiled and pressed a kiss against the corner of Lena’s mouth, “ _D’accord_. I cannot wait.”

Lena looked at her with an almost reverent expression on her face, she reached out and delicately stroked her hand through Amelie’s hair, down over her cheek and onto her neck, “I missed you. So much. But now you’re here, and I’m going to keep it that way.” And with a blink of light, she was gone.

“A flair for the dramatic,” Amelie chuckled to herself, wiping away a stray tear that worked its way down her cheek, “I certainly remember that.”

 

After an evening that was more emotional than she ever could have imagined, Lena was just about set to collapse into bed with Emily and sleep well into next year. She could imagine her now, sitting up late with a cup of tea, staring out the window and wringing her hands in worry, hoping against hope that she was okay. Those fantasies lasted right up until the moment where she stepped through her door and was suddenly enveloped in Emily’s arms, her lips pressing lightly against the top of Lena’s head. She was only vaguely aware that Emily was talking when she pointed behind her and gestured to the lounge. Turning, Lena saw two other occupants in her apartment, a taller man leaning against the wall, and the other sitting quite comfortably in Lena’s favourite chair, the cup of tea in her hand leaving condensation against her eye patch.

Lena’s heart just about leapt out of her body. She cleared her throat and greeted her guests.

“Cap. Morrison. What’re you doing here?”

Morrison pushed himself off the wall, something about his face with the visor off seemed wrong to Lena, like the mask _was_ his face. It was never something that seriously bothered her, just something she noticed. Ana remained sitting, unmoving except for a small nod of the head and a lazy smile on her face.

“Oxton, we need to talk to you.” Morrison’s voice carried across the room and hit her directly in the fear centre of the brain, a thousand thoughts pulsing through her mind within a second.

_Why are they here? What do they want to talk about? Do they know about Amelie? About Gabriel? Do they know what I’ve done? What I’m going to do? Why are they here? Are they going to ask questions? Bark orders? Are they going to hurt me? Hurt Emily? No, not happening. What should I do? Morrison doesn’t have his gun, and he can’t move faster than me. Ana has a blind spot, and she’s sitting. If they try to hurt Em I can take them down. I’m faster, no one can take her from me. No one. No one. Noonenoonenoone I’m not losing anyone else!_

“Yeah sure, what do you want to talk about?” Lena waved them over to the table, both taking a seat across from her. This suddenly looked much more like an interrogation than she realized.

Morrison looked to Ana, who nodded, “A warehouse full of Humanity League members was hit not too far from here, we were wondering if you knew anything about that.”

Lena raised her eyebrow, keeping her expression otherwise neutral, “Knew anything about it? Or _did_ it?”

The soldier shrugged, “Either, honestly.”

She leant back in her chair, “No, to both. Can’t say I’m _that_ torn up hearing about it though.” She looked between them both, “You think I’d kill a warehouse full of people like that?”

Ana answered this time, “The times have changed all of us Lena, none of us are the same people we were five years ago.”

Lena glanced at them, taking note of Ana’s eyepatch and the scar bisecting Morrison’s face, “Clearly.”

“Besides, it is nothing serious. There are signs that Reaper is involved, one of the corpses matched his M.O…”

Lena cut her off, remembering that as far as she was supposed to know, Reaper was still a blood thirsty terrorist responsible for countless innocent deaths. Not something much more confusing and, strangely, someone she could almost consider a friend, “Wait, _Reaper_? You knew Reaper was involved and you still thought I might have had something to do with this? Are you _daft_?”

Ana held her hand up, “Child, we know how anger can affect someone…”

Lena was legitimately angry now, “Anger wouldn’t make me drop everything I stand for and make an absolute tit out of myself! I know that might work for _some_ people but-”

“Oxton!” Morrison was clenching his fist, the knuckles white and his nails biting into his palm. His eyes took on the cold gaze of the Strike Commander. The next words that left his mouth were tense with near fury, “That’s enough. Agent the Captain and I will not take this insubordination from-”

“ _Insubordination_? The _Captain_ and you are both dead _Commander_.” She all but spit the last word at him, “You gave up those ranks when you left us to fend for ourselves, you will not come into _my house_ and insult me, and expect me to bow to your command!”

Morrison was ready to jump to his feet before Ana placed her hand on his arm, shaking her head and forcing him to stay in his seat with a simple glare. She turned to Lena with clear apology on her face, “I am sorry Lena, it was not our purpose to insult you. We simply were exploring theories and clearly did not think how some of them would sound.” She sighed, “And perhaps you are right. I keep forgetting that not everyone is like me and Jack. Perhaps there is a reason for that.”

Lena nodded, accepting the apology but pointedly not making one of her own, “If there’s nothing else, I think you should leave. It’s been a long night, I just want to get to sleep.”

Ana nodded, “Of course, sorry for bothering you so late at night. Jack and I will take our leave.”

Emily had stood watching this entire exchange, her hand gripped tightly around her forearm, sighing gratefully when Ana elected to end the fight rather than add to it, “I’ll get your coats!”

 

When they were both about to step out the door, Ana placed her hand on Morrison’s shoulder, “You go on ahead, I just want to have a word with Lena.”

He looked between the two before shrugging and stepping out into the hallway, “I’ll be waiting in the car.”

Once he was gone Ana turned to Lena, her expression carefully schooled, “Lena, have you seen Widowmaker lately?”

“Widowmaker? Not since Mondatta, why?” She supposed she should be worried that she was lying so easily to her allies, but right now she considered herself in good company with that sort of thing.

“She hasn’t been seen in a while now, I was wondering if maybe she decided to come after you. On mission or for… Personal reasons.”

Lena shrugged, “Like I said, haven’t seen her.” She couldn’t resist, “Who knows? Maybe she’s gone rogue?”

Ana snorted, “ _Her_? Not likely, she seems perfectly at home with them.”

Lena fought her sudden anger down, “We never got the full story Ana. We don’t know what’s happening with her.”

“Do not grieve for a woman who never existed Lena, I did that once.” She pointed at her eyepatch, “It did not end well for me. She took Gerard from us, she will not take any more of us.” She looked at Lena with hard eyes, “I will protect this family, and I will do what I must. You should as well.”

She left the apartment without another word, Lena standing speechless in the doorway. It was only once Emily closed the door that she realised she was gripping her fists so tightly she was almost breaking the skin. She barely managed to get to the bedroom and stuff a pillow over her face before she was screaming with all her might.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Mentions of torture and death
> 
> Lena seems rather quick to agree to a murder plan doesn't she? Though I suppose after finding out the woman she loved was tortured and turned into a death machine... that might turn of everyone's Mercy-Meter. She's still not 100% down with murder though, and I hope that came across with her reluctance with the Humanity League plan.  
> And Ana and Morrison are here! Lena's first meeting with them in a while... did not seem to go too well.
> 
> (Also I was getting impatient so I decided this chapter gets a WidowTracer kiss. Her memories are coming back fast and associated emotions come back with them, sue me.)
> 
> Thanks for all the love! If you like what you read chuck a comment down below, and if there is anything I can improve do not hesitate to tell me! But don't be a prick about it, that won't help anyone. You can find me on Tumblr [here](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake) Give me a follow, who knows? Something good might happen. But it probably won't. Cheers!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes.

Emily waited a few minutes until Lena’s breathing calmed, what little she could see of her face obviously still red from anger. Walking over, she lowered herself to the edge of the bed, placing a hand on Lena’s back. She rubbed in small circles, feeling her breathing steady and her muscles become less tense, a deep sigh eventually coming through the pillow. She placed a kiss in between her shoulder blades, “Rough night pet?”

Lena huffed a bitter laugh, “Yea, you could say that.” She turned over, “It was pretty good till I came home.”

“Oh really?” Emily raised an eyebrow.

Lena waved her hands, “No not this part! This part’s great!” She sighed and waved her hand at the door, “I meant… whatever the hell that was.”

Emily chuckled, “I know Lena, just teasing.” She snuggled up to her side, “Want to talk about it? You can tell me about the good parts once we’ve got this out of the way.”

“It’s just…” Lena ran a hand over her face, “Ever since I talked to Gabe, I’ve been all messed up about everything. Like he tells me how distant and cruel Jack could be, and suddenly I’m remembering times when I saw him like that back in the day, when he’d chew someone out, act real dismissive, things like that.” She frowned, “And then I’m remembering him letting us think he was dead, and letting us pick up the slack until he comes back, expecting to still be able to run the show!”

She sat up, clenching her fist, “And then _Ana_ has the balls to go on about ‘Protecting this family’, and then I’m thinkin’ of Fareeha and how she just wants to _see_ her for once…” Emily closed her hand over her fist, she took a deep, steadying breath, “I guess speaking to Gabe made me realise how much stuff I’ve been holding onto. I think I’m just tired of the old guard.”

Emily leaned in, “What about Reinhardt?”

Lena snorted, pressing a kiss to Emily’s nose, “Reinhardt’s a sweetheart, he can stay.”

“So, what was the good news?”

She stiffened, “Well… It’s kind of a great news, bad news situation…”

Emily sat up, “Oh?”

“Well the great news is that I spoke to Amelie… She remembers me, she’s starting to remember everything.” At the wistful look on Lena’s face, Emily smirked,

“Is talking really all you did?”

Lena shot up and started frantically waving her hands, “I-It just happened! I mean, I know you said you were okay with it but that was _then_ and this is _now_ …” Her words were cut off with a kiss, small chuckles tickling her lips. Emily smiled at her,

“Sweets, I said that I was fine with it, if I wasn’t I’d tell you. Truth be told I’m happy for you, if still a little worried…”

Lena squeezed her hand, “It’s her luv, she’s really back, it’s not a trick. I… kind of have a favour to ask though…”

“I’m not sure I like the sound of that…”

“When we met, I was in a real bad place, remember?” At Emily’s nod she continued, “You put me back together pretty much.” She clasped Emily’s hand between hers, “She’s in a bad spot right now as well, she doesn’t know how to feel, what to do, she’s scared. Would you help her as well?”

Emily sighed deeply, but she couldn’t stop the small smile from appearing on her face, “It’s never a dull moment with you, is it?” She nodded, “Alright, I can try. If she’s going to be with you then we might as well get to know each other.” She shot her head up, “We should probably have a plan, in case someone is already around when you want to bring her here.”

Lena hummed, “What if I text you? Ask what you want me to pick up for dinner?”

Emily clapped happily, “Oooo spy stuff! How about pizza if someone’s already here?”

Lena grinned, “And Nando’s if we’re all clear!”

“Oh, you and the bloody chicken! Fine, the bloody code’ll be ‘Nando’s’.” She suddenly became serious, “Now, what’s the bad news.”

Lena sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, “I’m… Me and Amelie’re gonna go kill the people who did this to her.” When she saw Emily’s eyes widen in horror she pulled her in for a desperate hug, clutching her tight and whispering into her ear, “Even if we weren’t doing this for revenge, which I’ll admit is why I’m doing it, these men need to die. What’s to stop them doing this to another woman? One who won’t have people so desperate to have her back?” She pulled back, and her eyes were hard, “This needs to happen. And I’m sorry.”

“I… I understand. I do.” Emily placed her hand on Lena’s cheek, running her thumb along the bone, “Just don’t lose yourself. _Please_. I want you to come back.”

She nuzzled her face against the hand, “I promise Em… nothing’s gonna keep me away from you.”

They stayed close for a long time after, falling asleep in each other’s arms. It was something that would become one of the things they missed the most.

 

“Lena!” Fareeha waved over from her seat outside the café, Hana next to her throwing a small peace sign. Lena trotted over happily and threw herself into the chair opposite them, putting her feet up on Hana’s lap. Hana frantically slapped at her,

“Ew! _Naelyeo_! Get your fucking feet off me!” Lena kept laughing right until Hana made to dump her drink on her feet, she pulled back quickly, knowing she would go through with it.

“Nice to see you too Hana.”

Hana raised her middle finger in response, “Oh eat this Oxton!” She leant back in her chair, busying herself with her phone.

Fareeha leaned back as well, sighing in contentment as she felt relaxation for the first time in weeks, “It is nice to just have a chance to… spend time with you two like this.” She frowned, “We don’t get to do that so often.”

Hana popped her gum, “Well with the fact that you live on base, Oxton lives here, and that I keep moving because _I think_ I might be technically AWOL right now, that doesn’t really leave much time to hang out.”

Lena sighed, “Yeah…” She perked her head up, “Wait… AWOL?!”

Hana shrugged, “Maybe, I’m supposed to go back to Korea in between missions, give reports and shit like that. I haven’t been answering their calls though, I wanted some Me-Time.”

Fareeha raised an eyebrow, a second later she smirked, “Me-Time? Or Satya-Time?”

Hana for her part just lightly blushed, refusing to hide away, “I could call a MEKA down on this table and kill us all right now, don’t think I won’t.”

The two older women laughed, Lena reaching over to slap her on the back, “Oh come on luv, think ‘Reeha here’s any different?”

As those words left her mouth Fareeha immediately shifted, going from laughter to embarrassment in the blink of an eye, “Lena, don’t…”

“Why you think she moved on base? It sure helps with her medical care…” She winked across the table, Fareeha stood,

“You’re stepping real close Lena…” She looked at her with a challenging look in her eye, Lena simply smirked,

“Your insurance cover date night?”

“That’s it!” Fareeha ran around the table, trying to grab a fistful of the British woman’s jacket. She had little success, Lena taking every opportunity to blink back and forth around the café. She’d chosen this café because it was both a slow day, and she’d helped the owner with a few things in the past. She didn’t tell either of them it was because she knew they’d end up doing something like this.

Watching Lena and Fareeha run around the café, shouting and laughing at each other, she felt more at ease. These two women, weird as they were, were her friends, and while they might give her a hard time about some things she knew she could trust them. Maybe it was time to tell someone after all.

“Fine, I’ll talk to you guys about it.” They stopped and looked at her, their faces immediately lighting up with smiles.

“You sure about that luv?”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

She smiled, “Nah, it’s cool. I know you’ll listen. Like, actually listen, not just treat me like a kid.”

Lena scoffed, “Are people actually still doin’ that? You’re 19, that’s not exactly _super_ young…”

Fareeha nodded, “Zenyatta is 20, it seems rather hypocritical not to treat his age as an issue as well. You’ve covered both of us in a firefight enough for us to know you’re not just a kid after all.”

“We don’t do that do we? I mean, I’m sure we slip up sometimes but…”

Hana raised her hand, “For the most part you guys are good. Why do you think I hang around with you so much?”

Lena smirked, “Well, us and Satya. Now dish.”

“R-right, well… It just kinda started up when I was fixing up my MEKA, trying to un-fuck whatever it was Torbjorn did to it. I keep telling him everything is the way I like it and not to fuck with it but…” She sighed, “Anyway, I was finishing up and walking to the showers, which passes by the rec-room, and I saw Satya…” She drifted off with a lazy smile on her face, Lena snapped her fingers in front of her eyes,

“Don’t stop there luv, it’s getting good.”

Hana shook her head, clearing her mind, “Well I look in and there she is, dancing. Have you ever seen her dance?” Lena and Fareeha shook their heads, “Well it’s… wow. I mean she is _flexible_ , you know? So, I’m standing there like some weird, horny little boy in the comments on one of my streams, when she looks up and sees me.” The smile was back, “Doesn’t look at me weird, talk down to me or anything, just looks at me and smiles. Like, a friendly smile, not just one of those ones you make at strangers.”

Lena leaned in, “What’d you do then?”

Hana snorted, “I panicked and I ran all the way back to my room, forgot all about my shower.” The two other women doubled over in laughter, Hana sitting back and fighting the smile threatening to show on her face, “Oh yeah, laugh it up asshats. I’m sure you’re _soooo_ much better.”

“I’m sorry luv it’s just…” Lena wiped a tear from her eye, before breaking down again, “Bloody hell that’s the funniest shit I’ve heard in a while!”

“I’m sorry too, did you at least smile back?” Fareeha was looking at her with tears in her eyes as well, but she still had a supportive smile on her face.

“I might’ve, I can’t remember really, it was just one big panic.” She shrugged, “We met up again a few days later, that wasn’t so awkward, and we got to talking. It was nice to just… talk with her, get to know her when we aren’t killing people. Turns out she’s really chill, likes dancing, slow movies, doesn’t treat me like a kid. And god, her smile…” She groaned, “God, I think I’ve got it bad. Do you guys at least have any advice you can give me?”

Lena smiled apologetically, “Hana, it took Fareeha almost fifteen years to get with Angie. I met Emily when I was almost blackout drunk and in the middle of a mental breakdown. I don’t think we’re the best people to come to for dating advice.”

“Fuuuuuck, what am I gonna do then?”

Fareeha reached over and patted her on the shoulder, “Honestly? I think being yourself is working out so far, I don’t think your feelings are unrequited.”

Hana’s eyes widened, “What are… are you…”

“I’m just saying I notice looks sometimes, and she’s been giving you a few. Just… Be yourself, that’s what she likes after all.”

Hana nodded, a smile on her face, “Yeah. Yeah! I’ll just be me! Thanks guys!”

Lena chuckled, “Anytime Hana.” She turned to Fareeha, tilting her head as she changed the subject, “What about you Ree? Have you talked to Ana lately?”

Fareeha shook her head sadly, “No… She’s been out of country for the last few months. Last I heard she was in Greece.”

Lena raised an eyebrow, “But I…” She stopped just short of revealing her recent visit, “…I thought she was going to give you a call or something?”

She shook her head, “Havn’t heard a word, if they’re on mission then Jack’s probably maintaining radio silence. It’s getting a little old…”

“’Reeha… I’m sorry.” Lena reached over and placed her hand on her shoulder.

Hana wasn’t nearly as tactful, “Ree, you really have a shitty mom.”

She shook her head sadly, “She’s trying to protect everyone… Protect me…”

“Well that’s just great for everyone else. It doesn’t mean shit if she’s letting herself become a stranger to her kid. How longs it been like this?”

Fareeha shrugged, “Since I was a kid, but it’s… it’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” Hana raised an eyebrow, “I’m willing to bet I have more good memories with _my_ parents, and they’re dead. What’s Ana’s excuse?”

“I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

Lena rubbed her back, “Sorry luv, I really bollocks that up. We’ll stop. Maybe she’ll be at the base next time you’re there.”

“Probably not,” Fareeha smiled, “But thanks anyway.”

Lena smiled back, “Anytime.” Inside her heart was going a mile a minute.

 _Why didn’t Ana let her know she was here? Why was she with Morrison? Were they on mission?_ Her eyes widened, _Shit. Am_ I _the mission? I need to be careful, I can’t let them find out what me and Amelie are up to._

Hana’s voice brought her back to the present, “Yo, Oxton? You good?”

She smiled, “Yeah luv, I’m fine. coffee?”

 

The harbour was empty, just like they thought it would be. They’d set up in one of the offices inside, neither having any desire to stand out in the cold. Sombra took the liberty of taking down the cameras. Lena and Amelie were stood over a tablet that had been provided by Sombra, scouring information on targets based on hierarchical importance and tactical opportunity. They’d been largely silent for the past ten minutes as they read over the dossiers, but finally someone had to break the silence.

“I think we should start with the Humanity League targets before Talon.” Lena still wasn’t looking up from the dossier, but it was something she’d been thinking about for a while. Amelie for her part raised her eyebrow,

“That… Is not what I expected you would want to do. I assumed you would want revenge before anything else.”

Lena nodded, “I thought that as well, god I want them gone so much.” She looked up at Amelie, “But what if I can’t do it? I’ve never _murdered_ anyone before Am… What if I can’t pull the trigger when I have to? What if you can’t, with your… changing and everything?”

Amelie snorted, “Just because I’m remembering who I was doesn’t mean that I’m suddenly averse to violence. If anything, I look forward to it _more_.” She placed her hand on Lena’s cheek, “Is that what you are worried about? That you won’t be able to help me?”

“A bit, yeah. It’s not fair if you do all the work, especially since Talon’ll have a lot of security…” Her words were cut off by a light kiss.

Amelie pulled back and gave a small smile, “That would not matter to me Lena, I’d just be glad to have your support. But if you’re truly worried, we can start with someone less protected, and I can talk you through it.”

“Gonna talk me through my first time luv?” Lena wiggled her eyebrows, Amelie smirked,

“I may do more than talk, I may take a _hands-on_ approach to this.”

“God,” the Brit chuckled to herself, “You even make murder euphemisms sexy.”

They sifted through the targets, trying to find one that wasn’t too far up the food chain, but one that Lena wouldn’t feel bad about pulling the trigger on. In theory, anyway.

“This one.” Lena eyes sparked with something in between horror and hatred, and Amelie didn’t even need to read the information herself to know this man was vile. “He beat an Omnic to death in front of their girlfriend, then put her in the hospital. When she woke up three weeks later one of his friends was there saying that if she told anyone what happened, they’d kill her nephew.” She sighed, “Case never went to court. Rumours that he might be kidnapping omnic sympathisers and selling them, but no confirmation has ever been made.”

Amelie nodded with grim resolve, “I will make the arrangements.” They set to packing everything up, wiping down each surface to leave no evidence that they were ever here. They doubted anyone would be dusting for fingerprints, but it never hurt to be cautious.

Once they were done, Lena leaned back and groaned, “Are we doing the right thing here?”

She shrugged, “I believe we are.”

“Is it a good thing we’re doing?”

She paused, “The good thing to do, and the right thing to do, seldom overlap.”

“The world will be better without these men in it?”

“Undoubtedly.”

Lena nodded, mind at ease, “Then that’s all that matters.”

She stood and walked over to the window, watching the water ebb and flow with the stormy winds outside, “I need to ask a favour. Well, I need you to ask Sombra a favour for me.” She turned to Amelie, “I think Ana and Morrison might be on to something, I talked to Fareeha and she doesn’t know her mother is in town. I need her to keep an eye on my flat, make sure it doesn’t get bugged.”

Amelie nodded, “I will ask her. I will also see if Gabriel cannot kick up a fuss out of country, that should take some pressure off us.”

“Good, yeah, good plan. Alright, we’ve sorted out who we’ll take care of, now we just need to give the rest to Sombra, she can put it on one of their safehouse computers, call in a tip to us, and then Overwatch’ll raid the safehouse. I’ll make sure we find the list.”

“Good plan _Cherie_ ,” She smiled, “One would think you’ve done this before…”

She scratched the back of her head, “I might’ve dragged up a bunch of Blackwatch documents from the archives… Had to keep myself occupied till we met again. Figured it couldn’t hurt either.”

“Very smart,” She stepped forward and draped her arms over Lena’s shoulders, “Should give us an edge over our opponents.” She pressed a kiss to the shell of her ear, “They should be no match for us.”

“L-luv, not that I don’t love what you’re doin’ here…” She turned and looked Amelie in the eyes, “But I had something I wanted to ask. Well, me and Emily actually.”

“A request from you AND your girlfriend?” She smirked, “My my, I had no idea things were going to move this fast.”

She blushed, “Wha- Oh get your mind outta the gutter! We just wanted to know if you wanted to come over and, well… talk.”

A sculpted eyebrow raised in response, “Talk? About what exactly?”

Lena sighed sadly, “When I lost you, I was... I was doing pretty bad. Like, reaching the end of a rope bad.” She sniffed, “Emily helped me out of that, stayed by me, let me know everything could be good again.” She ran her hand up a cold arm, “We want to give that to you, if you want it.”

Amelie was speechless. Stubborn pride made it her first instinct to say no, but the rational side of her realised that she was in no position to refuse help, especially relating to her mental state. If nothing else, she thought, she should thank the woman who has been here for Lena when she couldn’t.

“If I wish to leave I can?”

Lena nodded, “Of course.”

“And you will be patient? Even if I wish not to speak?”

“Always.”

She smiled softly, pressing a quick kiss to Lena’s forehead, “Then let us get going. I’m quite eager to meet your mystery woman.”

“What, now?” Lena’s eyes widened, Amelie chuckled, dragging her by the hand out the door.

“Why not? There is no time like the present.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: Mention of background violence against women, not graphic or dwelt on, but there none the less.  
> Also some minor mentions of Suicidal Ideation.
> 
> Translations:  
> Naelyeo = Disgusting
> 
> Well there's another chapter! Thankyou for the patience, I am so sorry for the delay. As I stated on my [!Hitman AU Story](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11398767/chapters/25801050), I have gotten a job as a Ghostwriter/Sometimes-Published-Author, so I got a little swamped last week. I have gotten used to the load now though, so things should resume as normal, which likely means another chapter in a few days.
> 
> I think things are starting to pick up! Not sure who else I want to introduce into this story, I am open to suggestions if there is anyone you are REALLY desperate to see. Also Ana is a really shitty mother in this story, and if you go by quotes and things like that from in-game, it's not THAT far from canon.
> 
> Thankyou for the continued support, it really means alot to me, and I eagerly await any feedback you can give me!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes!

“Oh, hold on a tick.” Lena reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, typing a quick message to Emily.

_Hey babe, on my way back, want me to pick up dinner?_

She could almost hear Emily’s sigh from across London.

_…Yes, you can pick up some bloody Nando’s._

Lena grinned and turned to Amelie, who was watching her curiously, “We gotta make a stop luv.”

 

Emily shouldn’t have been surprised that Lena _actually_ came home with a steaming bag of Nando’s, yet somehow, she was. Though given the fact that there was a devastatingly attractive woman with possibly the most terrifying stare she had ever seen, she would forgive herself later for her slip.

“Hey luv!” Lena pressed a kiss to her cheek, depositing the food on the counter, “This is… Well this is Amelie.”

She was still speechless when Amelie spoke up, clearly amused, “I have a feeling she already knows who I am _Cherie_.” She stepped forward, putting her hand out, “ _Bonjour_.”

Emily took her hand shakily, “H-hello, I’m Emily.”

“I know, I’ve followed you before.”

Emily’s eyes widened, so did Lena’s, “You… You followed me?”

Amelie nodded, “A talon trooper found out about you by accident, walking around town with Lena. He knew about our rivalry, so he came to me with the information first.” She clicked her tongue, “I followed you to see if you were a threat, or something we could use to hurt Lena. His suggestion, not mine. The idea never felt right to me.”

“And… and what did you think?”

“You were no threat. You weren’t involved in the fight, and me, Gabriel and Sombra intended to keep it that way. With my memories coming back I can see why I felt that way now.”

Lena stepped in, “Gabe told me you three were the only ones who knew about Emily. What happened to the trooper?”

Amelie waved her hand, “We buried him out in the countryside, Sombra edited the records so it was like he never worked for Talon at all. They never investigated.” She looked back to Emily with a smirk, “I don’t think I’ve done a good job being unintimidating.”

Despite herself, Emily found herself chuckling, “Yes, you’re terrifying. But dinner is getting cold, so sit your scary arse over at the table. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you.”

Amelie inclined her head with a smile, “As am I.”

 

Dinner was a calm affair, Amelie absurdly cautious about eating her chicken, questioning Lena whether it was actually edible or not. Though, given her smile when Lena reacted with offense, she likely was doing it in jest. There were some moments where Emily found herself on edge though, mainly when she remembered that Amelie had killed hundreds of people and was working on an active assassination plot _with her girlfriend_ , but all Amelie had to do was turn to her and give a small smile, and suddenly her tension vanished. When they opened a bottle of wine, Emily would be lying if she said Amelie’s approval did not make her feel proud.

After dinner, they moved to the couch, Emily insisting on comfort for their next conversation. She insisted that they keep it light, not get into any of the heavier subjects that night, but they still needed to do so with as little tension as possible. Lena was currently reclined across the both of them, her head in Amelie’s lap and her feet across Emily’s lap. Looking down, Emily realised this was a situation that one would normally feel jealous at, her lap not being the one with her head resting in it. But looking at them, she couldn’t find it in herself, even if she didn’t know their history they just… fit.

Perhaps that was a good place to start.

“Amelie,” She looked up, “How do you feel having Lena back?”

She smiled, “I feel… happy. For the first real time in a long time.”

“What normally made you happy?”

Her answer was simple, “Killing.” She shrugged at Emily’s wide eyes, “Talon changed my chemical makeup, every time I took a life I would get a rush of chemicals in the pleasure centre of my brain.” She tilted her head in thought, “Originally it was an implant, but I believe they took that out. Now it is just how I am.”

“How do you feel about what you do? Now that your memories have returned?”

She shrugged, “I don’t. There are not two versions of me, remembering my innocence does not mean I do not suddenly loath killing. I feel just the same as before, though now I think I’ll pick my targets better.”

Emily chuckled, before raising an eyebrow, “And how do you feel about me? Now that we’ve met?”

“I thought I might be jealous, mad at you for… what is the term? ‘Stealing my girl’?” She smiled softly, “But you saved Lena when I was gone. You accept that me and her are together. You are sitting here _right now_ , attempting to help me.” She reached across and placed her hand on top of Emily’s, “I believe you are someone I would be glad to call a friend, Emily.”

“I…” She squeezed her hand back, “Thank you Amelie.”

Amelie smirked, “This looks like the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

Emily chuckled, raising her wine glass, “Here’s looking at you kid.”

Lena couldn’t help but snort beneath them, “Nerds.”

 

“Ah, it is late.” Amelie stood, pushing Lena back down onto the couch, “I should go.”

Both Lena and Emily stood, sharing a look for a few seconds before turning back, “You know luv… If you wanted, you could stay here tonight…”

She smiled, “That is very kind of both of you, but I have things to organize.” A pointed look at Lena, “Information to deliver.”

“Ah, right.” She scratched the back of her neck, “Well, stay safe? Please?”

She chuckled, “But of course, why would I do otherwise?”

Lena stood there unmoving, Emily rolled her eyes and shoved Lena towards her, “For god sake pet, go ahead.”

Lena chuckled softly, blushing heavily, “Alright, alright…” She leaned into Amelie, their lips meeting softly, a breathy laugh leaving Amelie’s mouth.

“If I had of known it wouldn’t be a problem, I wouldn’t have kept my hands to myself all night…”

Lena blushed even harder and started shoving her towards the window, “Alright luv, that’s enough, you should probably get to Sombra. Bet she’s waiting up for you.”

“I understand, I understand.” She opened the window, firing her grapple off into the night. She turned to Emily, blowing a small kiss, “ _Au revoir_.” And then she was gone.

“Well…” Emily began, slinking her arms around Lena’s waist, “That went well!”

Lena smiled, “Yeah, it did.”

“Though… She might’ve kept her hands to herself…” She leaned in and bit Lena’s ear, “But I’m not going to.”

“Oh my.”

 

Amelie ran through the night, not in any danger, but still wanting to finish the job so she could get back and sleep. The offer to stay was very tempting, but she never let personal wants get in the way when she _really_ needed to complete an objective, and she wasn’t going to start now.

Though the fact she was meeting Sombra in the server room of the National Bank was something that she really should have expected. Sombra turned in her chair when Amelie pushed the door open, smiling widely, “ _Araña_! How’d your date go?”

Amelie snorted, moving towards her and looking over her shoulder, “It went well. What are you doing?”

Sombra huffed, “Boo, you’re no fun. I can’t even tease you anymore.” Her eyes brightened when she caught the question, “Oh this? I’m putting a backdoor in, would let me come in and take whatever I wanted when I wanted.” She smirked, “Or just burn the whole thing down?”

Amelie raised an eyebrow, “You have plans to do so?”

She waved her hand, “Nah, more like something for a rainy day. This is the last one I had to do in London too!”

“Interesting…” Amelie fished around in her pocket, pulling out the thumb drive, “We have information for you, you need to erase the list of specified names and send them to us. Send the edited list to a Humanity League safehouse somewhere in London.”

“Did I ever tell you I like it when you get bossy?”

“Yes,” Amelie rolled her eyes, “Many times in fact. Can you do it?”

“What this?” Sombra blew a raspberry, “This is child’s play. Give me something fun to do.”

Amelie tapped her chin, suddenly remembering, “Oh! Lena is worried her apartment may be bugged, something about the Captain and the Soldier, could you check for us?”

Sombra shot up in her chair, “What? You’re only checking _now_ if her place is bugged? Are you insane?”

“There is most likely something wrong with the both of us, yes.”

“Oh ha ha.” She rolled her eyes, “I had something I wanted to talk to Oxton about anyway. I’ll head over now.”

“What sort of thing?”

“Something that will make both your lives easier.” She shrugged, “Don’t know if she’ll go for it though.”

“Wonderful. Now I need to find Gabriel and see if he will assist us.” She squeezed her eyes shut, “I just want to sleep.”

“Aww Ami…” She threw one arm around her shoulder and moved her in front of the screen, “Will this make you feel better?”

With a flurry of keystrokes, income was siphoned from all areas of the banks departments and put into a singular account. Within seconds a report was sent into the authorities detailing evidence of embezzlement from the CEO of the bank.

“You… just ruined that man.”

Sombra smirked, “Yeah, but he was a capitalist _cerdo_. I wouldn’t be surprised if he _was_ stealing from these people. The one who’ll get his job has a much more… honest way of running a business.” She nudged Amelie, “So? You feel a little better?”

Amelie chuckled, “A little, yes.”

 

Floating in nothing. Being nowhere and everywhere. Being forever and never all at once. Lives and places racing by at the speed of light, and nothingness replacing it just as soon. Lena tried to breath, but there was no air to breath. The only feeling the one of her lungs emptying, her body fraying at the edges, losing herself one strand at a time. She wanted to scream, to rage, to do something to feel she was alive, but she couldn’t.

She wasn’t.

She shot out of bed and was frankly amazed that Emily was still sleeping. Her body was drenched, her lungs working overtime, her hands shaking too much to even grip the sheets. She felt like she was going to cry, that this was the time she’d finally break, but it wasn’t. She wouldn’t allow it to be. “Not now Ox. Not like this.” She set her jaw, “You beat it, you got out. You won.”

She got out of bed slowly, not wanting to take any more chances waking Emily. She padded slowly across the floor, opening the door with a slight squeak. Emily stirred once, but was lost to sleep once more. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Lena walked across to the sink, filling a glass with water and tossing the whole thing back in one greedy gulp. She set the glass down and focused on the clock, watching the seconds tick by, one by one at the same rate. She found herself relaxing until she got the prickling on her neck, the one she used to get with Amelie. The one that said she was being watched.

“Don’t panic yeah? I’m here as a friend.”

Lena turned slowly, sweeping her hand over the counter and grabbing a knife, keeping it tucked against her forearm. When she saw the faintly glowing woman lounging on her couch, she raised an eyebrow, “Wha- Sombra? What the bloody-” She noticed what she was holding, “Is that my bloody cereal?”

Sombra shrugged, “It’s been a long night, I was hungry.”

Lena stepped forward, “Yeah but you can’t just…” She sniffed and peered over the bowl, “…Is that my Gatorade?”

She swirled the bowl, frosted flakes floating around in a sea of blue, “Breakfast of Champions _rápido_.” Seeing Lena’s both annoyed and revolted face, she sighed, “Fine, I’ll replace the damn Gatorade. Happy?”

“No, but let’s keep going.” She tossed the knife onto the table and took a seat, “Why are you in my flat?”

“Because I want to be friends?” She rolled her eyes at the face Lena made, “I know I’m usually threatening people when I say that, but I mean it this time.”

“W-Why do you want to be friends with me?”

“Uhh, because you’re dating Ami? Do people normally not become friends with their best friend’s girlfriend?” She scratched her chin, “Am I wrong? Did I screw something out here?”

Lena sighed, “There are better ways to go around it…”

“What? Would you prefer I knocked on the door in the middle of the day?”

“I…” She shrugged, “Alright, point taken.”

Sombra pointed at her with her spoon, “I’m here for a reason too, Ami told me you thought your place might be bugged by the geriatrics. Gave it a check.”

Lena’s eyes widened, her voice going lower, “Did you find anything?”

She shook her head, “Nah, there’s jack hidden here. Your fridge was acting up though, so I fixed that.” At Lena’s blank face, “You have free cable now as well.”

Lena squeezed the bridge of her nose, yet found herself smiling, “Thanks Sombra. That was real nice.”

“ _No hay problema._ ” She looked at Lena’s ear, “So you like piercings huh?”

“I… yes?” She fiddled with her helix piercing, “I guess I do, why?”

“It’ll make this whole thing easier,” She pulled out a small injector, “Now don’t freak out, this’ll help you and Ami.”

Lena freaked out, “Wh-What are you doing with that?!”

“It’s an injector! To put something behind your ear.”

“Why would I let you inject me in the ear with something?!”

Sombra smacked her own forehead, “Oh shit, I forgot to tell you.” She held it out and pointed, “There’s a sub-dermal transmitter in here, gives location and acts like a radio. Can’t be picked up by scans.”

Lena leaned in, “Why do you want to put a transmitter in me?”

“Well, if you’re ever in a jam, me or one of the others can come get you. It activates when you click your tongue three times. Or if you slam your head real hard into something. All it’ll take is a quick pinch.”

Lena looked at her, eyes narrowed, “And that’s all it’ll do? No other funny business?”

“I promise, just location and radio, _if_ you activate it. I’m not even giving you the one that tells me where you always are. See?” She smiled, “I’m a great friend.”

Lena sighed, “Alright, let’s get it ove- OW!”

Sombra leaned back and pocketed the injector, looking back sheepishly, “Sorry, I thought you were finished.”

“Jeez, warn me next time.” She winced as she rubbed the injection point, “So it should work now?”

“Try it out.”

She clicked her tongue three times, jumping when someone answered, “I swear to god Sombra if you called me just to ask if I’m wearing black or darker black again I’ll-”

“Gabe?”

“Ox? What the fu-”

She shook her hands, “No worries big guy! Gotta go!” She smacked her neck and the transmission closed.

Sombra lay back on the couch, stifling her laughter with her hand, “That… that works perfectly. How wonderful!” She wiped tears from her eye, “Well that’s everything I came to take care of. Go get some sleep, I’ll wash my bowl and get outta here.”

“Alright.” Lena stood, walking over and patting Sombra on the back, “You uh, you’re gonna be a good friend.”

“Cool,” She grinned and bumped Lena’s fist, “See you around eh?”

Lena walked away and fell into bed, the pain in her neck fading as sleep overtook her.

 

“Goddammit Sombra.” Lena grumbled as she signed the delivery form, five crates of Gatorade sitting in her lounge with the deliveryman looking at her like she was insane. she looked back at him with a deadpan expression, “Here, there’s my signature. I’m gonna drink my Gatorade now.”

She closed the door and leaned her head on it, wondering where exactly she was going to store her drinks. Her mobile ringing pulled her out of her thoughts, fishing into her pocket, she answered it, “Hello hello?”

“Lena! We need your advice.” Winston’s deep voice rumbled through the receiver, “It has to do with the Humanity League.”

Her heart skipped a beat, “The Humanity League? What about ‘em? Didn’t their headquarters get blitzed?”

“Yes, that one did.” She heard the tapping of keys, “But this morning I received an anonymous tip, saying that they have another safehouse in Manchester. They might be planning an attack of some sort.”

“Alright luv, that sounds bad but… Why are you asking me?”

“This is your stomping ground. I know it means a lot to you, so I want to know your advice. We could contact the police, or take care of them ourselves. What do you think?”

_I think you should kill the bloody lot of ‘em_.

“We should probably go in ourselves right? The coppers aren’t trained enough for this, and if we leave it someone else’ll come in and wipe ‘em out. Who knows who else’ll get hurt?” She shrugged, “We can’t just let them get wiped out, that’s not who we are.” The lie tasted bitter on her tongue, but it wasn’t as hard to swallow as she thought it would be. She didn’t know what to think of that right now.

“Alright Lena, we’ll organize a team, meet up at the same rendezvous point as last time.” She could hear him smile, “We’re doing a good thing today Lena, thank you. Winston out.” The call ended.

She sighed to herself, tapping her phone against her forehead, “Yeah big guy, we’re doing a good thing.” She leaned against the door and slid downwards, “Just wish we had the same meaning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Allusions to piercing/needles, description of nightmare/traumatic flashback
> 
> So here's another one! Forgive me for the references to Casablanca, but let's be honest, it's one of the most beautiful films ever made. Fuck Citizen Kane, Casablanca is where it's at.
> 
> This was more of a setup chapter, sowing the seeds for the rest of the story, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. I like to imagine that Sombra just breaks into Corporations and puts in backdoors on her spare time, cause fuck it, why not?  
> Also in case you're wondering, I have in fact eaten Cereal with Gatorade instead of milk, down to my friend calling it the "Breakfast of Champions". It... wasn't as revolting as it should have been.
> 
> And hey, how about that new Overwatch comic? The gang looking pretty fly, maybe they'll finally give Amelie a cocktail dress in game like we wanted from the Chinese New Year event.  
> I will just come out and say that I don't have any plans right now to include Doomfist in this story, he kinda fucks with what little plans I have. I may change my mind, but don't hold your breath on that one.
> 
> Thank you for tuning in! Leave a comment, let your thoughts be known!
> 
> Translations:  
> Cerdo = Swine  
> Rapido = Speedy


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes!

 

"So," Lena wondered, jogging along the abandoned Manchester street, towards a dilapidated block of flats that they placed the rendezvous point at, "Wonder who's on the team?"

She pushed through the front door, walking slowly up the stairs. The meeting point was on the 5th floor, and while this area was abandoned that didn't mean that it was empty. She kept a steady hand on her pistol.

She reached the door, checking down both sides of the hallway before lifting her hand, thumping twice quickly and three times slowly. She heard a yelp from inside, followed by a muffled, "Aw _hell_."

_Well, wonder who that could be._

She smirked as the door opened, a breathless and red-faced Jesse standing in front of her. "Hey luv! Didn't interrupt anything did I?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, "Interrupt?" He chuckled, "Nah, nah just... Working out you know?"

She walked into the flat, taking note of the cyborg currently busy putting his mask back on. She swore she saw a blush on his face before it was covered up. " _I'm sure_. How many reps did ya get in Genj?"

He cleared his throat, "It was..." He looked away, "It was a very intense session."

Lena snorted, "Blimey, five minutes together and you're already up against the wall." She sat down heavily in a lounge chair in the corner, "From what I've heard that's just like old times."

Jesse smirked, "Dunno about that, he's a little _rusty_."

Both of them could swear that the ninja was scowling, "I am _not_ rusty." He crossed his arms, "Literally _or_ metaphorically."

"So, how've you been Genji?" Lena threw her feet up, "Been a while since we went out together."

"I have been trying to find my brother, convince him to join us." He shrugged, "It is not going so well."

"Genji, I hate to tell you this..." She leaned forwards, "But that's 'cause your brothers a real shit."

Jesse snorted, "Don't have to tell him twice, doesn't stop 'im though."

The ninja sat down and crossed his legs, "There was a time when even I seemed above redemption. I do not see why he should not have the same opportunity."

"Eh," Jesse waved his hand, "You had a way better attitude about the whole thing."

Genji tilted his head, "I was angry all the time and killed many Jesse. How was that better?"

"You weren't so whiny about it! I mean yeah sure you were real big and scary that whole time, but at least when we got you help you took it." He smirked, "Hanzo would probably bitch about not deserving it if they got him a glass of water."

"That is... Not an inaccurate assessment."

"Hate to break this up," Lena stood, "But we need to come up with a plan."

"Well now, what put the bee in your bonnet?"

She pointed out the window, "I want those pricks across the street in jail, and I want it now."

He raised his hands, "Fair enough."

 

"Alright..." She adjusted the binoculars as she overlooked the security on the adjacent block of flats, "Looks like two boys walking around the outside, covering the whole perimeter."

She flicked to thermal, "I see at least seven walking the hallways, and ten on standby in the flats on the second floor."

Jesse shrugged, "Sounds easy enough, got a game plan?"

She nodded, "Genji, you go around the back and scale the wall. Try and get into one of the rooms and take out the guys in there."

"Understood, what are you two going to do?"

She smirked, "You feel up to a more unsubtle approach Jess?"

"Oh darlin'..." He cracked his knuckles, "You just read my mind."

She dropped her smile, "One thing though, we keep bloodshed to a _minimum_. We need to hand these boys into the rozzers."

Genji nodded, "I agree, there is no need for unnecessary death today."

Jesse sighed and pulled out a cigar, "You two know just what to do to dampen my mood don't you?"

"Sorry Jess, I hate these wankers too, but going out and slaughtering all of them isn't going to solve anything." She gestured seriously, "But if they try and kill us, we'll put 'em down. We'll just try and do it without killing them before that."

She turned to Genji, "Also, you need to put a jacket on, something with a hood."

She could swear his eyebrow was raised, "And... why do I need to do that?"

"You're metal and have more glowing bits than a street racers Nissan." She giggled, "You kinda stick out on the streets luv, I don't care how sneaky you are." She ran a hand through her hair, "Come to think of it, we all should. No need for more word of us to get around."

Jesse nodded to the back room, "I've got a go-bag in there, couple jackets in there, should have no problem."

"Beauty." She grinned, "Let's get to work!"

 

Chris scowled as he walked around the perimeter for the umpteenth time in the last hour, everything the same as the last. Even the birds hadn't changed positions.

"Dave! Anything new?" He shouted across the lawn at his second, the man wearing an identical smirk as they walked towards each other, "This is boring as shit!"

"Yeah, you got that right." Dave ran a hand down his face, "Don't get why we're out here. No one ever comes here anyway."

Chris scoffed as they stood next to one another, "Tell me about it. Makes you wish there was something to shoot at, right?"

"Fuckin' A." Dave trained his gun at the birds, "Almost wanna squeeze a couple shots at them."

He patted Dave on the shoulder as he passed, "Hang in there buddy, we'll get through this." He walked about two meters before he remembered he wanted to ask him something, "Oh wait Dave..."

He turned around, seeing no one. No footsteps, no weapon, it was like he vanished. Ice cold fear pulsed through his body, and it was a second before he felt the cold steel underneath his chin.

"I do not wish to kill you." The voice sounded tinny, like it was coming from a machine rather than a person. Machines couldn't inject that much anger into their voices though, "But believe me, I will not hesitate."

Slowly, he lowered his gun, letting it dangle off his index finger before dropping it. He heard the satisfaction in his ambusher's huff, "A smart decision." An arm closed around his throat, squeezing so tight he was gone in under ten seconds.

Genji let the body fall to the ground, dragging it to the bushes to join his friend before tying both their hands together.

He stepped back and looked up the wall, seeing the handholds and ledges that he could utilize. He popped his joints, more out of habit than a genuine need, sprinting forward and leaping upwards. He didn't touch a part of the wall for more than a split second, carrying himself up with almost superhuman speed. He clutched the ledge of the window he was aiming for, standing by and waiting for the action to start. "Now it is your turn, do not be reckless." He sighed, "Of _course_ they're going to be reckless."

 

Inside, their method of subduing enemies was much less subtle, McCree wrapping his arm around one’s chest and pulling him up, slamming him down onto the ground with disturbing force. Tracer quickly blinked in front of his friend, leaping into the air and slamming her knee into his chin, following him down and planting both feet in his chest.

"Are we being a bit too mean?"

"Nah."

The door next to her opened, the people inside no doubt hearing the commotion. She pivoted on the spot, her heel snapping into the man's jaw and shattering the whole thing. He spun in place, his finger squeezing down on the trigger of the pistol still in his waistband. The gunshot was deafening in the confined space, the other man in the room jumping to his feet in surprise. He pulled his gun, but before he could take aim the cowboy sprinted past her, ramming his shoulder into the man's chest and forcing him through the window, screaming as he fell two stories to the concrete.

Tracer raised an eyebrow, "I thought we were keeping death to a minimum?"

He shrugged, "Might not be dead, who knows?"

A bullet slammed into the door frame above her head, she pulled her pistol on instinct and fired a burst in the direction in came from. A scream came forth as the bullets zipped into the guard’s thigh, his hands clutching around the wound and falling to the ground.

"Finally." McCree grinned around his cigar and pulled his revolver, she huffed.

"At least shoot to wound."

"That's not a thing Trace."

She stamped her foot, "I know that! Let me pretend!"

They advanced, the next one to enter the hallway rapidly getting a flurry of shots in his chest. They heard the sound of muffled gunfire and screams coming from the room next to them, and so distracted were they that they didn't react immediately as all the other doors of the hallway opened.

Five men trained their guns, and just as the two of them turned to look they pulled the triggers. The door next to them splintered, the blood covered ninja leaping out and drawing his sword, holding it in front of him. Shot after shot met the sword, lightning fast flicks of his wrist sending them the opposite direction. Two men had their shoulders explode, while a third had his very own shot be sent right back through his forehead. He rushed forward, hurling a shuriken into the chest of the man on his left as he advanced on the furthest, currently bringing a shotgun up to his shoulder.

Genji ducked below the blast, the buckshot demolishing the wall behind him, his sword making a bright arc through the air as it sailed into and through the man’s elbow. His arm fell to the ground, still clutching the shotgun, as its owner stared blankly at where it used to be. Genji drove his fist into the man’s temple, knocking him out cold before the pain could register.

"A regrettable outcome, but a necessary one." He swung his sword downwards, flicking the blood off before sheathing it. Tracer walked up beside him, patting him on the shoulder.

"Thanks Genji, saved our bacon there."

He shook his head, "There is no need to thank me, you would have done the same." His head tilted when he heard a thump on the other side of the door next to him, and he turned towards it. After a second to consider, he shot his fist forward, the titanium limb easily splintering through the wood, grabbing hold of a collar and yanking a man out into the hallway.

"D-don't shoot!" He raised his hands in front of his face, "I-I'm the leader here, I'll come quietly!"

McCree spat on the ground, "Pansy, at least your men went down swingin'." He brought his boot back and shot it into his face, breaking his nose and knocking him out cold.

Tracer sighed, "You always have to do that huh?" She walked into the room where their captive had been, "Alright fan out and check the rooms, see if there's anything we can use. Tie up anyone still breathing too." McCree and Genji nodded in acknowledgement, heading off to their own rooms.

She checked through filing cabinets, drawers, making her way over to the PC sitting on top of the desk in the center of the room. She pulled the chair out, taking a seat and browsing through the files. It wasn't long before she found what she was looking for, the files having been sent from an anonymous address the night before. Starting the file transfer, she busied herself in the meantime by looking through the rest of the database, after all, just because the information she planted was valuable, didn't mean that there wasn't anything else damning on their servers.

She didn't find anything useful to locations or operatives, the last one of which she was grateful for. what she did find however made her have to fight to not walk out and execute everyone in the building.

Films, taken from phones and cameras of different qualities, but quite clearly hand held. Each one detailing some sort of hate crime against Omnics, whether it be graffiti, a building being set on fire, or in the case of at least ten of the films, murder. She breathed in and out slowly, letting the inferno become a smoldering flame.

"All in due time Oxton. All in due time."

She decided to transfer the films as well, figuring she could use them to grant the organisation a reputational death, as well as a physical one. And if Overwatch wouldn't do that, she knew someone who would be more than happy to.

When she walked out of the office the leader was beginning to stir. An image of one of the films flashed through her mind, and when he looked at her she stomped down, cracking the side of his head into the floor and knocking him out once more.

"An' you give me shit for my anger issues." She looked up to see McCree lazily leaning against the frame the doorway, puffing away on his cigar.

She shrugged, "There's... Not very nice things on their servers. He's lucky he could be useful."

Genji appears a second later, "I have tied up those still breathing and administered aid to the wounded, though I'm afraid a number of them will not make it past the hour."

McCree shrugged, "No big deal."

Tracer was inclined to agree, but she had an appearance to maintain, "See if there's anything else you can do, we came here to stop them harming people, not cause a bloodbath."

McCree snorted, "Trace, me 'n him were in Blackwatch. Trust me, this _ain't_ a bloodbath."

"Well I wasn't in Blackwatch, and neither were the coppers who'll be here in twenty minutes, so I'd say we might've fucked up here." She sighed, "But we can't change that, let's just move forward. Genji, five minutes, then we leave."

He nodded, grateful for the chance to lend more aid, even if in the long run it would accomplish nothing. Aid came in many forms, and if all he could do was hold one of these men's hand while they passed, that was enough.

Even enemies deserved that courtesy.

She pointed at the leader, "McCree, heft him up and take him back to the flat. Someone can come pick him up once the filth is gone."

He tipped his hat, reaching down and easily lifting the man onto his shoulder. He whistled as he exited, and if the man's head thumped into a few door frames, it was just a happy accident.

Tracer activated the voice modulator she carried around, dialing 999 and waiting.

"Emergency services, please state your emergency."

Her voice came out robotic, shifting from low to high and being impossible to distinguish the original tone, "There is a safe house of Anti-Omnic extremists, some are dead and some are ready for pick up. You just need to come and get them. Manchester, abandoned district, block of flats by the steelyard."

"Who is-" She hung up.

She walked out, stepping over the dead in the hallway. No use dwelling on it.

 

The three of them watched the police swarm the block of flats, bringing out more body bags than live captives. "Looks like 40% of them are in cuffs." Lena sighed, "Should've been more."

Jesse clapped her on the back, "Don't let it get you down. This easily could've gone worse, could've been 0% in cuffs, and no info." He threw his thumb over his back, "As it stands, we got their leader, and you have some major intel that could blow their shit wide open." He grinned, "So smile Oxton! You did good!"

Genji sat in front of her, his mask off and his smile soft, "Because you gave me more time to give aid, at least two more men made it. They would have bled out on the floor otherwise. We did a good thing here."

She smiled slowly, "Guess it could've gone worse." She looked up, "I've gotta get going, Winston's gonna want this intel. What're you going to do?"

Jesse lay back, "Keep an eye on the leader, wait for someone to come pick him up." He smirked, and she looked at Genji, who again was blushing.

"Oh, for the love of _god_ you two, at least put him in another room while you do it!" She laughed and walked to the exit, flicking a two fingers salute at them at the doorway. "Hope we see each other soon Genji, it's been too long!"

He smiled, "Indeed it has. Perhaps I _will_ come back soon, I miss the rest at Overwatch. I should write to Angela again."

"She'd like that." She nodded, stepping out before the conversation could get too wistful.

 

She clicked her tongue three times, "Sombra, this is Lena, come in."

"You know you can just say 'Hello', like a normal person."

She blushed, "Oh, well, hello."

A breathy laugh was her answer, "Hello to you too. I take it everything went well?"

She hummed in response, "Got the information you planted, everything went off without a hitch. I'm going to give it to Winston now."

"Ahh, before you do that I have something to tell you..."

Lena stopped in her tracks, leaning against a wall, "What?"

"I maybe... kind of... put a virus in the file?"

"A wha- A _virus_? Why?" She wasn't sure she liked the direction this was going.

Sombra at least sounded apologetic, "It's undetectable, completely harmless until I choose to use it. It'll sit in the Overwatch database, and act like a backdoor when I need it."

"Sombra..."

"I promise, it's only a rainy-day plan! I'm not going to crash their systems, I actually like some of the stuff you guys do. It's just... if I ever need to get out of a jam." A pause, "Or if you do."

Lena sighed, "I... You promise? You promise that it's just an insurance policy, that you're not going to ruin us?"

"Yes, I promise."

"I'm trustin' you here Sombra, this is a big test of our friendship."

"I know it's a big ask, but you can trust me."

Lena pinched the bridge of her nose, "Alright. Alright, I'll put the file on the servers."

She could hear Sombra's smile, "Thanks _Rapido_ , you won't regret this."

She clicked the line closed, huffing to herself, "I've said _that_ before..."

 

"Lena!"

She beamed, throwing herself into the arms of her friend. Her head rested against his chest, which in spite of his size managed to always be soft, "Winston! It's so good to see you!" She pulled back and smiled up at him, "How've you been?"

He smiled back, his voice coming out in a deep rumble, "To be honest, it was lonely at the Watchpoint. Now that we have some more bases I'm much happier. Especially since I get to see you again."

She squeezed her arms around him again, "It's good to have people back together again isn't it? Got a big surprise like that today..."

He laughed, "Ah, I forgot to tell you Genji and McCree were on your team. I'm guessing they picked up where they left off?"

She snorted, "Probably picking up right now..."

She reached into her pocket, "Speaking of picking up, I grabbed some intel from their servers. Looks like a list of operatives and sleeper agents." She squeezed her fist to control her sudden anger, "Also found a bunch of films, documents hate crimes that they've committed, up to and including murder."

Winston looked down sadly, "I'm sorry that's the case. What do you suggest we do?"

"I think we should send them into either the news or put them up online. Once people see what they're doing they might take them as a threat more seriously."

He hummed, "I'll think it over. Thank you, Lena."

"Also picked up their leader, figured he might be able to answer some questions. He... might be a little roughed up though."

Winston sighed, "You or Jesse?"

She looked down sheepishly, "...Yes."

He chuckled, "Do try and control yourself next time, but this is good news! He might be able to shed some light on the films and this list."

Her eyes widened, "Oh yeah, I didn't even think about letting him go over the evidence."

_Shit, it's gonna look suspicious if he doesn't know about the list. What am I gonna do? I need a plan._

"We've done a good thing today Lena. _You've_ done a good thing." He placed his hand on her shoulder, squeezing lightly.

She giggled, "Aw stop big guy, you're gonna make me blush!" She looked at her watch, "Aw shoot, I gotta get back, Em's probably worries sick! I'll be back soon though, I wanna have a go at cracking this guy!"

He chuckled, "Alright Lena, say hello to Emily for me."

"Will do!"

She stepped out the door, her smile immediately falling away.

_I didn't even think about that! What if him not knowing makes them doubt the list? What if they start digging, could this lead back to me?_

She stopped, she had a plan.

_Get rid of the leader. Find out what he knows, claim he’s stonewalling when it comes to the list, and convince them to let him go as bait. Take him down when no one is expecting it._

She sighed, “I’m not ready for a plan like that. But I need to be.”

_Click. Click. Click._

“Amelie? It’s me.” She squeezed her eyes shut, “You know that target we were looking into? We need to do it tonight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: General death, dismemberment, discussion of hate crimes.
> 
> Here it is finally! I am so, so sorry about the delay, but I got hit with a bunch more contracts since the last chapter. I counted it up, and counting this and "This Date", I am writing eight stories right now, two of which are 30,000 words and due in two weeks.  
> Good news is, I am getting enough work to quit my day job, my last day is on the 19th! Until then, updates may be a little dicey, but after I am hoping to be able to kick my production into higher gear!  
> Once again, I would like to thank all of you who read and comment, honestly without your wonderful comments I wouldn't even have considered writing as a career, and yet here we are! My success is thanks to the confidence you gave me!  
> So don't stop now,m leave a comment down below if you liked this, or if you just wanna ask a question. I love interacting with you guys.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes!

"Alright, tell us what you've got." Lena and Amelie were hunched over the table, their voice echoing in the abandoned flat they were calling their temporary base. Lena's hand was almost crushed in the grip of the other woman's, determined to show that she was going to be here for her every step of the way.

Sombra cleared her throat, her voice coming clearly through their implants, "Your boy, Michael Gilliam, known member of the Humanity League and human supremacist. Multiple complaints made against him to the police, none ever investigated. I checked, he knew a cop on the inside."

Lena arched a brow, "Any name for the copper?"

"Don't worry about it, he's not a problem anymore." They paused, she scoffed, "Oh come on, like you were going to kill a cop your first time around..."

"Yeah, not exactly what I was planning to do..."

She chuckled darkly, "Well if it makes you feel any better, the complaints weren't the only thing he covered up. You... might want to be sitting for this."

Lena nodded, "Way ahead of you luv, just... just give it to us."

"I looked through the information you collected today, Gilliam is even dirtier than you thought. There's evidence of him being connected to at least seven murders, omnic and human alike."

"Jesus Christ... and the rumors?"

"About the omnic slave trade?" She sighed, "Sorry to tell you this Oxton, not rumors."

She clenched her fist, willing herself to not force it through the table. She took long breaths, in through her nose and out through her mouth, the inferno in her mind dulling to a cool flame. "Where is he?"

"South Manchester, I've sent you the address. Been watching him for the last few hours, it looks like he might be planning something."

"Anything big?"

"Nah, his slavery contacts are silent right now, whatever it is, it's probably small fry."

Amelie stepped in, "We should still be on guard, whenever people like him plan to do something it is terrible for all involved. Regardless of scope."

"Alright, alright, I'll pay extra special attention then." Sombra snapped her fingers, "Now, Gabi wanted to speak to you."

Gabriel's voice growled in their ears, "I don't need an introduction Sombra, I can cut in whenever I feel."

"So please give him the stage! He's worked hard to get here!"

Lena snickered at his grumbling, before snapping to attention at the sound of his throat clearing, "I want you to run me through the baseline plan you have for tonight's assignment. What you plan to do, where you want it to go down." He chuckled, "The plan'll probably go to shit, but it's better than going in half-cocked."

For a second Lena imagined this was what it was like in Blackwatch, an easy camaraderie, jokes being put back and forth while the briefing went by. All while you were planning someone's death.

"We were planning a silent entry." Amelie spoke calmly, clearly, Widowmaker taking the forefront for now, "At home he won't be on guard, it would be easy to slip a knife between his ribs if he remains asleep. Any witnesses to the crime will be contained easily."

She had fought against her for years, seen the results of her work, yet times like these Lena remembered exactly what Amelie had been trained to do. She realized that her body count may be much higher than she previously thought...

"Good plan, I've dropped two pistols in an alleyway near his apartment. They've been used in three separate gang related murders in the last two years, no one will trace it back to you. Just disassemble them and toss them in the river after the job is done." He sniffed, "The job itself should be fairly simple, just get in, punch his ticket and get out. Do it right and you won't even have to stop walking."

Lena nodded, her index finger twitching in a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. Amelie placed her hand atop hers, "I know how you feel about this man, and you may be tempted to... make it last." She shook her head, "I recommend not doing that. Even when I was at my worst, the longer deaths... they stick with you."

"Alright luv." Lena squeezed her hand, smiling softly, "I'll do my best. I'll follow your lead."

Gabriel grunted his approval, "You couldn't have a better lead, Amelie's one of the best I've led in my career. Listen to her and you'll do just fine." His tone shifted as she almost felt his demeanour change completely, "Now this next part is important Oxton, so I need you to listen and think about it very carefully, understand?"

She nodded, "Yes Sir."

"Good." He paused, his voice softening, "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, really sure? Because this... This is a thing you don't come back from. This sort of thing changes you, you don't just do it once and then go back to being a good guy. Once you do this... you're all in, do you understand?"

"I'm not the same person before I wiped out my old gang." Sombra sighed wistfully, "I mean, I like who I am now, but I'm different, you know?"

Amelie pulled her in close, tucking her head into her chest, "There is time for you to back out. You can let me take care of all of this, let me come back to you when it's over. No one here will think any less of you."

Lena sniffled, grabbing tightly onto Amelie's jacket and pulling her in. She shook her head against her lover's collarbone, "That wouldn't be fair to any of you. Letting you take care of my problems while I sit by and pretend that I'm still a good guy." Her voice turned to steel, "No. I'm in. I'm all the way in, there's no way around it. Wherever this goes, whatever we do, I'm going to do it with you." She looked up into those piercing golden eyes, "We're in this together."

Amelie smiled down at her, "Then let's go. The first step awaits us."

 

They wove through alleyways on the way to the apartment, not wanting to be recognized on the streets, the rooftops being too far apart to jump between. Lena had covered her accelerator with a heavy coat, and though she could make the jumps with that assistance, Amelie had been forced to leave her grapple behind. It was likely for the best, they didn't want to leave much evidence of who they could be, and grapple holes punched into concrete were oddly revealing.

So there they were, ducking into back alleys, darting out of the light and resisting the urge to dig into their ears and rip Sombra's voice out of them.

"I think we should have a party after this, a big _celebracion_!" Sombra chirped happily, "You know, for Oxton finally getting her feet wet."

Gabriel rumbled, "This isn't something to be taken lightly Sombra, this is a big night for Oxton. She's under enough stress already without you piling on."

"It's just murder! It's no big deal for us, why is it for her?"

"Because according to a number of Overwatch psychiatrists I saw back in the day I'm not entirely mentally sound, and you're an idiot." He huffed, "I never had to deal with things like this in Blackwatch..."

She sounded affronted, "You told me that you held a party for the ninja!"

"His brother just cut him in half! I had to do something to make him feel welcome!"

Lena groaned, running a hand down her face. She turned to Amelie, "Are they always like this?"

" _Non_." She sighed, "Tonight they are better than usual."

"God, if this is what I've got to look forward to then I'm going to go bonkers."

She chuckled, "Just count yourself lucky you haven't worked with the Junkers."

"The Aussies?" Lena raised an eyebrow, "I didn't know they were with Talon."

Gabriel cut in, "Fuck no they're not with Talon! There wouldn't even _be_ a Talon if they worked there."

Amelie nodded, "It's true, Sombra is as... wild as Talon will allow their employees to be."

" _Qué se supone que significa eso_?" They could tell that the woman had crossed her arms, Amelie chuckled.

"If you are a wildfire, then they are a nuclear meltdown. People can rebuild after you come through, with difficulty. They leave only salted earth behind." She shrugged, "Not exactly permanent employee material."

Lena giggled, before the sound of Sombra clearing her throat caught her attention, "Heads up guys, he's got a visitor. Big burly looking fucker too."

They stopped in front of the dead drop, reaching down and examining the pistols Gabriel had left them. Lena chambered a round, "What are they doing?"

"Just sitting, talking it looks like. He looks like he's getting ready to leave."

"Fuck." Lena shook her head, "You taken care of the cameras?"

She hummed, "Every camera in a square mile's been looping the same footage for the last two hours. No one'll know the difference, you're clear."

"We will try and get them alone, drag them into an alleyway." Amelie rolled her shoulder, "No sense in making a mess where everyone can see it."

Lena nodded, they continued on their way. They paused at the entrance to the alley across from the apartment, the two of them having a clear view at Gilliam and his companion. The two men walked down the steps, hands in their jacket pockets as they shifted, clearly armed. They waited until the targets had walked a ways down the street before stepping out, forty feet between the two groups. They shadowed him for another ten minutes, the walk carrying them deeper into the slums of Manchester. Lena looked around, the city had been hit with an economic disaster, but she hadn't known just how bad it had been. They were a long way from King's Row.

The two men advanced on a woman walking down the street, the larger of the two clamping a hand over her mouth as Gilliam drew his gun, pressing it into the small of her back. Lena grabbed her pistol, a half second from drawing before Amelie held her arm, "No, not yet."

"What?" Lena hissed, "Why? They're going to kill that woman!"

"They will not kill her on the street, they are here for the same reason as us. This works in our favor." She sighed, watching the men start to drag her off, "It is ugly, but this is what we must deal with. Just remember the mission, that is what you must do."

Lena grunted, but nodded, "Fine. But we're going to help her, I'm not going to let them kill her."

"Then be patient, do not act in passion. Be cold, be clinical, shut your feelings off."

She took a deep breath, then another. With each one, she felt her heart rate slow back down, the heat of anger starting to cool. One final exhale, and she opened her eyes. Not completely detached, but calm, collected. She nodded, "Ok. Let's follow them."

They sped up slightly, closing the distance between them but not alerting them to their presence. They were close enough to hear the woman's whimpered begging, desperate for some way that she could reason with her captors. None was coming however, the two men only laughing harshly and telling her that she was going to get what she deserved. Her begging became even more frantic, her wriggling and pulling only making the hands around her arms clamp down tighter, the gun in her back digging in even deeper.

Suddenly, so quickly in fact that Lena and Amelie almost missed it, the two men dragged their captive into an alley, the sound of her struggling echoing out of the brick hallway. They ran up quietly, a quick look in confirming that the group had stopped moving. The two women nodded at each other, pulling their masks over their heads and unholstering their weapons.

 

She was shoved roughly up against the wall, the brick scraping at her elbows and digging uncomfortably into her back. Her lip trembled as she looked at her two captors, the both of them wearing lecherous smirks and quite obviously prepared to kill her. Her voice shook as she spoke, "W-Why are you doing this to me?"

Gilliam scoffed, "You know exactly why we're doing this." He reached forward and grabbed her face, gripping it harshly as he tugged her back and forth, "You think you can help them? You really think that they deserve that help, after everything they've done? Those disgusting, abominations of life that would kill you and everyone you've ever cared about if they got bored?"

"T-They've suffered enough!" Her voice gained more strength, even though she was still quite obviously terrified, "They don't deserve to be thrown away, to be destroyed by people like you!"

"That's exactly what they deserve! That's what they were made for!" He shoved her back against the wall, "They shouldn't forget their place, they belong in a fucking dump, or warming my fucking breakfast, not pretending that they are in any way the same as me!" He shook his head, running a hand up her collar, "It's disgusting. And you're even more disgusting for helping them." He chuckled, as if he remembered some private joke, "Well, more disgusting than you were normally anyway."

"F-fuck you." She whimpered as his companion pressed his gun against her forehead, tears starting to flow down her cheeks.

Gilliam tutted, "I almost admire it you know? Believing in something so completely that you'll fight to the death for it... it's incredible really." His eyes hardened, "But when you did it you betrayed humanity, you put everything that my people have worked for in jeopardy. And to top it all off, you went after my main source of income in this terrible time. So, to be honest, you stepped over the line." He clicked his fingers, "This is just the consequences of that."

"No! No please, please!" She would have clasped her hands together if she wasn't worried they'd shoot her for it, "Please I'll... I'll do whatever you want."

His companion smirked, turning to him, "Hear that Gil? She'll do anything. Wonder what exactly she means by that..."

Gilliam shook his head, "We haven't got time for that Lar, not tonight. Just get rid of her."

Larry sighed, "Fine." He raised his weapon, pointing it square between her eyes, "Whatever you say."

"No..." She couldn't even find it in herself to scream as she saw his finger compress the trigger, "Someone... help..."

A muffled shot cracked through the alley, blood covering the wall where their head had been. The body collapsed to the ground, head hitting the asphalt with a wet smack. She watched on in shock, so sure for a few seconds that it was herself falling down that she forgot to breath.

Gilliam recoiled, his vision completely red as the contents of Larry's skull ejected themselves over his face. "Fuck! What the hell is this?"

The woman looked to the entrance of the alley, seeing two masked women stalking towards them, suppressed pistols in hand and murder in their eyes. She screamed as they came near, the shorter of the two not even looking her way as she surged past, focus purely on Gilliam. The barrel of her pistol slamming into his chest, the wind being forced out of his lungs as rips cracked under the impact. He collapsed to the ground, blood still in his eyes as he feebly tried to shove her away.

Lena easily could have grabbed his arm, thrown him on his stomach and ended the fight then and there. But she was angry, and decided she wasn't going to hold back anymore. She grabbed his wrist as he swiped at her, yanking him up towards her as her other hand slammed down, the grooves of her pistol cutting into his cheek and smashing his teeth. He yelped in pain as he fell back towards the ground, shattered molars being spat across the floor. Only then did she flip him over, zip ties securing his wrists and thumbs together.

The former captive watched this in horror, certain that any second they were going to turn to her and finish the job that these men started. She knew enough about crime in the area to know that witnesses often didn't last very long. When the taller of the two stepped towards her, striking eyes regarding her like a predator would prey, she was prepared for a pistol in her face. The last thing she expected was a hand on her shoulder and a softer voice than she ever could have thought, "Are you alright? These men did not hurt you?"

She shook her head, momentarily too stunned to reply, "No they... No. You took care of them before they could..." She covered her mouth, it finally hitting her just how close she came to death, "Oh god they... They almost..."

Amelie squeezed the woman's shoulder, "It is alright. You are alright, just hold onto that."

Lena stood, stepping over Gilliam as she looked at the woman in concern, "Do you have a husband at home luv? Or a wife? Something like that?"

"I... Yes, yes I have a wife."

She tilted her head, "Kids?"

"Yes..." Her eyes filled with tears, "Yes, I have children."

Amelie nodded sadly, as if she were remembering what could have been, "Then go to them, and forget everything that happened here tonight. Nothing good will come of remembering this. Just go and hold your children, hold your wife, let that love keep you alive."

She nodded, "Ok." She started to walk away, turning to look at her saviors one last time, "Thank you. For saving me I mean."

Lena waved her off, walking towards Gilliam again, "Don't thank us luv. That's not what we're here for."

She would try to forget what happened that night, but things like that were often things that stuck with you. She would tuck her children in, take her wife to bed, and that image would be seared into her brain for the rest of her life. Her saviors, standing in a dirty alley surrounded by blood, stepping forth to end another life. The one with golden eyes, a still smoking gun in her hand and watching her leave with concern in her gaze. The other, standing tall in the darkness around her, a cold flame licking at the sides of her eyes. She would never be able to work out if they were guardian angels, or vengeful demons.

She was never quite sure they knew either.

 

Lena kicked Gilliam onto his side, "Just us now luv."

He looked up at her, hatred clear on his face as he sized them up, "Do you have any idea who I am you stupid bitch? Do you know who you're fucking with?"

She nodded, "I know exactly who you are, you revolting little shite." She leaned in close, "Rebecca Kliner."

His eyes widened, "Her? But... but that's not-"

"Possible? Because you threatened her nephew?" She shook her head, "You beat her boyfriend to death in front of her, put her into a coma. There are consequences to this sort of thing ya know?"

He tried to shuffle back, she grabbed his collar and hauled him up onto his knees. He tried to shake himself out of her grip, to no avail, "What the fuck? What, are you guys cops?"

In spite of the rest of the night, Lena found herself laughing. She rolled her eyes as her mouth still stretched with a smile, "Yeah luv, that's why we're wearing masks and have the suppressors. That's why my partner splattered your mate all over the alley. Because we're here to _arrest_ you."

The severity of the situation finally clicked in his mind, "N-Now hold on a minute!" He started to shake, "I... I don't know who you are alright? Not a fucking clue! Y-You could just leave, I'd never say a word to anyone! You can believe me!"

Lena sighed, scratching her chin through the mask, "Yeah, you’re right. I could just walk away, pretend like this never happened. Go back to being one of the good guys." She hesitated for a second, grabbing the bottom of the mask and pulling it over her head, "But now I can't take that chance."

His eyes grew wide, his jaw going slack, "You? But... but you're Overwatch! You're their fucking poster girl! You... You're supposed to be a hero!"

She nodded, "Supposed to be, yeah."

"Then... Then why?" He shrunk as the fire in her eyes ignited once more.

She stalked towards him, "Because I’m _tired_. Tired of being unable to do anything, tired of the little people being trampled on while no one in power steps in, tired of having to look out my window and see people like you terrorizing and murdering good, honest people!" Her grip tightened on her pistol, "I'm tired of only being able to stop people like you once the damage has been done, not before you can crawl out of your holes." She shook her head, "Not anymore."

She pushed her pistol into his forehead, the barrel leaving an imprint in the skin, the cold metal biting into his face, "Now I want you to tell me every single person that you've ever harmed. I want you to tell me their names. I want you to tell me why you did it."

"R-Rebecca Kliner! I did it because she was betraying all of us by being with that... that fucking rust bucket!"

She sighed, "Why do you hate them so much? What are they doing, apart from just trying to live?"

"Because they're not human!" His teeth were bared as he shouted, "They might think that they are, they might act like they are, but they're not! They're just the fucking monsters who tore families apart, tried to kill us all! You would know, you fought against them!"

"I have." She nodded, "But I've fought against people for far longer, how up in arms are you about them huh? How many kids have you seen get shot in the streets because some Talon raid was going on in the next block? How many families have been ripped apart because of people like you? How many people have you killed?"

"That's different." He held his chin high, "The people I kill are endangering humanity."

"Oh really? You're just a defender of humanity?" She gestured at Larry's corpse, "Is that why your mates threaten to rape women in alleys before you kill them? Is that why you're a slaver? Because you're just defending humanity?" He couldn't reply before she ploughed on, "Is that why you were trying to kill that woman tonight? Because she figured out something?"

He nodded, knowing it was in his best interest to be honest, "She figured out that we were selling Omnics, shipping them out to Russia and the Outback. They pay top dollar, we couldn't afford to lose those lanes."

"You called her disgusting before. Did you know she had a wife? Did that play into your decision a bit?"

His only answer was silence. It spoke _volumes_.

She scoffed, "Right, of course. A defender of humanity. At least, whatever it is you think your idea of humanity is."

She grit her teeth, "You people are all the same. You're so quick to hide behind the idea of being a protector, yet you couldn't give a good shite about any of them, could you?" She pulled the hammer back on her pistol, "Now I didn't tell you to stop, tell me every person you hurt. Tell me their names." She shoved it back in his face, " _Now_."

"R-Rebecca..."

"Tell me the others!"

"I don't know the others! I don't know their names! Just please, God..." He broke down crying, his sobs echoing in the alleyway, "Please I... I don't want to die..."

Seeing him before her, she hesitated. Lena knew this man was a monster, knew he had to die... But she couldn't pull the trigger. She was about to lower her gun when she heard that familiar voice right next to her.

"Unit 57-ER, chosen name Peter. Beaten to death in an alleyway not dissimilar to this one." Amelie delivered the report with no emotion, "Girlfriend Rebecca Kliner put into a coma and threatened with death afterwards."

Lena looked at her, hand frozen in place, "Am? What are..."

"Steven Hepton, shot and killed in a kidnapping attempt, trying to protect his Omnic neighbors. Units 25-AT and 89-YU, chosen names Andrew and Lara, abducted in the attempt. Current whereabouts unknown."

Amelie felt herself getting angrier, but she kept it under control. This was Lena's moment, "Kylie Paul, twelve years old and maimed in a bombing attack by the Humanity League. Her babysitter, Unit 34-HK, chosen name Andrea, abducted in the confusion. Remains found in a junkyard on the outskirts of London."

Lena felt her resolve harden with each death listed, her finger tightening around the trigger. Amelie sensed she was close, "At least one hundred men and women, Omnic and human alike, have gone missing in the last three years. No records of them remain, they will have died, and the world will never know they existed." She trained her gaze on Gilliam, "Because of men like you."

He looked between them, breathing frantic as tears streamed down, "Please... Please don't..."

Lena felt the anger bubble over and course through her entire body. She clamped her eyes shut from the overwhelming feeling, and then something strange happened.

It stopped.

No anger, no rage, no burning need to end his life. Just the feeling that this needed to be done.

When she opened her eyes, he knew what was coming.

He opened his mouth wide in a scream, "Someone hel-"

She squeezed the trigger. The round cracked as it left the barrel, its short journey through the air cut short as it sunk into his forehead and snapped his head back, the bullet expanding and destroying the contents of his skull. The back of his head exploded violently outwards, the ground behind him painting itself red. His body collapsed to the ground in a boneless heap, the only sound coming from the leaking of his body onto the pavement.

Lena let her arm fall to her side, the pistol dangling limply as she looked down at her handiwork. She didn't have an expression on her face, no happiness, no sadness, nothing. It worried Amelie. She placed her hand on Lena's arm, " _Cherie_... Look at me." The other woman looked at her, "Are you ok?"

Lena shook her head, "Nah. Nah luv, I'm not ok."

She pulled her into her arms, Lena not making any move to lift her own. She whispered softly, "It is ok, what you are feeling is normal. What we just did... Anyone would feel remorse for something like this."

Lena stiffened, "That's not it Am... That's not it at all." She pulled back, looking her in the eyes, "I… I don’t feel any different. I’m looking at him, he’s lying dead right in front of me, and I should feel something! But… But I don’t.” She started shaking, “That’s why I’m not ok.”

Amelie pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Oh Lena..." She said nothing more, just held the brit in her arms.

Lena sighed, "What does this mean Am? What does..." She wrapped her arms around her lover, "Oh bugger it."

They stood there for a few minutes, neither one of them sure what this meant. They just knew what they had to do, what their mission was. Anything else would have to be dealt with later. Lena was the first to pull back, tucking her pistol into her waistband as she stepped over to the bodies. "Alright. I'll take his legs I guess. We'll toss them in the dumpster where they belong." She looked between the two of them, knowing that things could never go back to the way they were.

She sighed, "Let's just get this over with."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Violence against women, threats of sexual violence, graphic description of gunshot wound, allusions to the slave trade.
> 
> So! Long time no see! So sorry about the delay, I was expecting to be able to write this chapter much earlier, but I got swamped with sudden work. (Did you know you can write 20,000 words in 24 hours? I wouldn't recommend it!) On the plus side, I consider my writing to have improved in this time, so I think I am able to do my idea justice going forwards!
> 
> Now, onto the chapter itself, as I said in the comments last time, this is the big moment of the story. Lena officially cannot go back now, she's not a villain by any stretch of the word, the world isn't that black and white, though she knows that she isn't exactly a hero anymore. But how will things continue along this path? Who knows? Not even I do completely!  
> Jokes aside, I am so happy to finally be back, the feedback that I've gotten on this and my other stories is really the only reason I was able to go professional, so I will never abandon this fanbase for anything. I may be gone for weeks, months even, but I will always be back here. So please, comment! Give me feedback, praise, constructive criticism! One of my readers on my other WidowTracer story even made me fanart, so if you are so inclined, please, go ahead and leave that! And if you like it enough, please, share this story around.
> 
> As always you can find me on Tumblr [here](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/genderfluidintake), give me a follow if you like political commentary and jokes about eating ass I guess!
> 
> Now this has gone on for long enough, so I'll wrap this up. I just want to say to all of you that I know the world is going through some turmoil now, politically and environmentally. Please, keep yourselves safe, and protect those that are close to you. That might be all that you can do in these situations, but it will make all the difference in the world.  
> Thank you, and see you next time!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes.

Emily blinked wearily, trying to focus on the words on the screen in front of her. It was two in the morning, her eyes were heavy, and she'd just drunk her third cup of coffee in an hour. These reports needed to be read over, as a mental health professional it was her duty to make sure that her patients were taken care of to the best of her ability, and she had never slacked yet.

Though she wasn't blind to the fact that her mind wasn't fully with her patients tonight.

Lena assured her that she would be fine, though given that her backup was Amelie, who very recently had an emotionless super-assassin, as well as two of the most active terrorists of their time, she thought it was fair to still hold onto some lingering worry. If she hadn't met Amelie herself she would have been absolutely petrified, their one meeting did wonders in reassuring her.

It was clear that the woman was struggling with her newfound emotions, guilt over her husband and Mondatta's deaths likely resurfacing with them. She was handling it better than was to be expected, even continuing her line of work as an assassin. Whether she was doing it because she wanted to or because she thought she didn't have any other options, from what Emily had seen the actual nature of her work didn't seem to bother her. She carried herself with what to the naked eye would look like a sort of lazy grace, but Emily had treated enough former military to know better. It was subtle, Amelie was better than everyone she'd seen, but if you looked very carefully you'd see the way her eyes had flicked around the room, sizing her up and pinpointing every vulnerability she possessed. The way she sat facing the window rather than away from it, the way she chose the seat closer to the kitchen, with the very prominent knife block on the counter. Every move was calculated, every position based on escape routes, every opponent analyzed and a kill plan made. Amelie did it so naturally it was likely she didn't even realize she was doing it anymore.

So no, Emily shouldn't worry about Lena. She was backed up by one of the most capable women in the world, someone who not even the forces of Overwatch could kill, it was illogical to think that some common thugs or whoever it was that they were going after would gain the upper hand.

But when it came to the people you loved, feelings were hardly ever logical.

Which was why when she heard the telltale click of metal entering stone her heart rate immediately sped up, desperate to see how Lena was, if she was upset, if she was happy, if she was hurt, if she was fine. She bit down on her knuckle, centering herself before she lost control. She worked with desperate people, unstable people, people who were a danger to themselves and people who just wanted someone to listen to them for once. It was important to keep a level head with each one, and over the years she had learnt to do so fantastically, yet Lena always managed to bring out the desperate worry in her.

Love was so annoying sometimes.

When she got out to the lounge Amelie had already unlocked and stepped through the window, which begged the question of why there was even a lock on it in the first place. She reached back and helped Lena through, the shorter woman sinking into a chair with a weary sigh. Emily was about to walk over to her before Amelie stepped in, pointing to the hallway. With a concerned look at Lena, who had her head leaned back and was breathing slowly, she followed the Frenchwoman through the doorway, clicking it closed on her way through.

"So? What happened?" She didn't want to seem too frantic, but seeing the state her girlfriend was in she couldn't quite help it.

Amelie put her hand on her shoulder, "Everything went fine, no harm came to Lena. I'll leave the details to her but... I think we did a good thing tonight."

"But she's... She looks drained out there, something clearly happened."

She nodded, "Something did, but it is not my place to say." She hesitated, "Would you be able to keep an eye on her? To make sure she doesn't... Fall into any old habits?"

Emily raised an eyebrow, "What does that mean?"

She sighed, "I know what happened after she lost me, before she met you... I just want her to know that she had people to comfort her instead of a bottle this time."

Emily nodded in understanding, "Of course, no troubles there." She tilted her head, "But why not you? You mean just as much to her as I do."

Amelie blushed, ducking her head, "I know that but... Perhaps it is best that I not be here. Not tonight." She shrugged, "Besides, I am just getting used to feeling again. I'm not certain I would be the help that she needs. You will be."

Emily stepped forward, drawing her into a hug. She squeezed her arms around the taller woman, who after a moment of surprise squeezed back. "Thank you for watching her back, it means so much that you brought her home to me."

Amelie looked down at her, a sad smile creasing her face, "I have felt the pain of losing a loved one before. Never again." She squeezed Emily's arm, "I will make sure that you never feel that pain either. I promise you that much."

Emily stepped away, eyes wet with emotion as she gestured back to the lounge, "Do you want to stay for a quick drink or...?"

She shook her head, "Non, I will have to deal with the other two before we can step out again. Better sooner rather than later." She smiled, "Thank you for the offer though, Lena is a lucky woman."

Emily watched the way her hips sashayed as she walked to another window, before jumping out and disappearing into the night, "Yep. She certainly is."

She walked back into the lounge, expecting Lena to look back up at her. Instead, she sat there motionless, the slow rise and fall of her chest the only evidence of her still living. Emily walked over slowly, "Lena? Are... Are you alright?"

Lena opened her eyes slowly, smiling slightly at Emily, "Hey luv. Just... Long night, y'know?"

Her girlfriend sat down next to her, placing her hand atop hers, "I know the feeling. Do... you want to talk about it or...?"

Lena shrugged, "If it's all the same Em, I think I just want to curl up in bed for the next month."

"Fair enough." Emily held her hand out, pulling Lena softly to her feet, "Let's get you covered up then."

In spite of how tired she was, it was a good few hours before she joined Lena in sleep, sitting up straight and watching her girlfriend for any sign of stress. To her surprise, Lena's sleep was mainly peaceful, the way that Amelie spoke about her she was expecting to have her shooting up in the middle of the night screaming. Instead she lay there almost peacefully, her eyes moving back and forth as she slept, though Emily did notice something that was strange. Her eyes twitching underneath their lids was completely normal, but the way that Lena's index finger kept twitching in her sleep, she was fairly certain that wasn't a normal occurrence.

 

Though she got to sleep far later than Lena did, she was up long before she was, the events of the night evidently completely wiping her out. She was still snoring lightly when Emily left, the need for a cup of tea overriding her overwhelming desire to sit in the corner and worry herself sick until the other woman woke.

Emily sat there with her cup resting on her knee, looking out the window at the view of the city. She figured she should look over those reports again, but it wasn't fair to those patients if her mind wasn't one hundred percent on them, and it definitely wouldn't be until she knew the situation with Lena.

She almost leapt out of her skin when she felt a soft kiss pressed against her neck, her normally boisterous girlfriend almost silent as she took a seat next to her. It was unnerving to see her this quiet, the lack of noise she made when she moved more reminiscent of Amelie rather than herself. She'd turned her opinion of the Frenchwoman around, but she had been right when they first met.

She hadn't done a very good job of being unintimidating.

"Lena? Pet... Are you ok?"

She opened her mouth, looking like she was ready to say yes, before she clamped it shut again. It was a few seconds before she sighed deeply, visibly deflating into her chair. She ran a hand down her face, "Nah luv, I don't really think I am."

Emily set her cup down with a clink, her hands folding as she looked at her earnestly, "Tell me what happened."

"You sure you wanna know?" Emily nodded, Lena sighed, "Alright then." She took hold of Emily's hand, looking her in the eye, "Me and Am killed two men last night."

Emily's eyes widened, "You... Killed..."

"Yep." Lena nodded, her eyes dull, "They were about to kill a woman, so Amelie shot one of them. The woman got away, then I killed the other one. He was on his knees..." She shook her head, "We tossed 'em in a skip and came back home. That was that."

"And... How do you feel about it?"

"Honestly?" Lena raised her eyebrows, seemingly in surprise at herself, "I don't really. I thought I'd be guilty or something like that but... I dunno, I just feel like I normally do when a mission ends."

"What exactly did the man do?" She squeezed Lena's hand, "Maybe it has to do with how you feel."

"To be honest?" Lena huffed a humorless laugh, "He was a real cunt."

Emily chuckled, "Afraid you're gonna have to be more specific there. If you shot everyone we could describe like that the streets would be empty."

Lena smirked, a touch more warmth in her expression, "Fair point." She cleared her throat, "He was a murderer, a racist, blew a little girl’s leg off. Oh, and he was a slave trader too. That last bit kinda... Pushed me over the edge."

She turned the information over in her head, and even she was surprised at the conclusion she came to, "You did the right thing."

Lena's eyebrows shot up into her hair, "Really? I thought you'd be... I dunno? Freaked out about me murdering someone."

Emily took a few breaths, mulling over how exactly she was going to explain herself, "It's... To be honest I don't know how I feel. I mean... Murder is wrong, isn't it? I have to believe that, it's just how I was raised but..." She looked into Lena's eyes, "But I also know you. I know who you are, what you believe in. I know you care so much and you love so _deeply_ and... You believe in doing the right thing. Even if the right thing seems like the wrong thing."

"I killed a man! And didn't care! How could that be the right thing?"

"You said he was going to kill a woman? Where is she now?"

Lena raised an eyebrow, "I dunno, home probably?"

"And where would she be if you hadn't stepped in?" Emily squeezed her hand, "Lena... You took a life last night, that's not being denied. But stop thinking that you also didn't save one. Honestly? You should be proud." She smiled, "I am."

"But what if I slip?" She curled into Emily's side, "What if I keep going and I find out I can't stop... What then?"

"You have me, and you have Amelie." She stroked a finger along Lena's jawline, "We'll be your anchor. If you think you're losing yourself, tell us. We'll help you." She kissed her softly, "Because we love you, and that's what you do for the people you love."

Lena chuckled, "How are you ok with this? You know I'm a criminal now right?"

"Oh luv..." She patted her shoulder, "You've been a criminal since Overwatch ended, that's what a vigilante is. Beating up skinheads isn't exactly something upstanding citizens do."

"I... Suppose that's a fair point."

"And even if that wasn't true, I've been there for you through everything, and you for me. You being a criminal doesn't change the fact that you're the most wonderful woman I've ever met, and that my life is better for having shared it with you." She grinned, "Sorry to say Lena, but you're stuck with me. No matter what."

Lena wrapped her arm around her girlfriend, "I guess I can think of worse punishments"

"Don't bring it home though. Just because I'm getting to be ok with you doing it doesn't mean I'll be able to see it."

"Don't worry luv, I like our carpet, don't wanna get it replaced."

They sat there wrapped in each other for what felt like hours, the rise and fall of Emily's chest soothing against Lena's ear, both of them grateful for the opportunity to just be together in the midst of all this insanity. Eventually Emily peeked her head up, "Do you want to do anything today?"

"What like... Watch a movie or something?"

"Hmmm... I was thinking we could go get lunch together. I've been cramped up in this flat too long I think."

Lena's stomach rumbled at the thought of food, "Come to think of it, it's been a while since I had a burger." She turned to Emily, "You up for a day trip?"

"Mmm..." She let her head fall back on Lena's shoulder, "A burger sounds bloody wonderful."

"Well then," Lena tugged her to her feet, holding her by her shoulders, "Put your jacket on, I know the best little place."

 

Lena's judgement was occasionally off. Through her childhood she made some bad friends, in high school she went out with some not ideal people, and the amount of times she'd been shot suggested that her risk assessment wasn't necessarily the best.

In matters of food however, she was never wrong.

"Oh my god Lena!" Emily spoke around a mouth of ground beef, the aged cheese and jalapeno sauce blending together perfectly to produce one of the most intense flavors she'd tasted in weeks, maybe even months, "How did you find this place?"

Lena paused before answering, swallowing what she had bitten of her own chicken burger, "The owner needed some help with some dickheads who kept breaking his windows, didn't think Omnics could make burgers properly." She chewed another mouthful, her eyes almost rolling back in her head. She turned and yelled through the entrance, "They were wrong weren't they Ronnie?"

An Omnic wearing a stained apron stepped through, a basket of fries cradled in his metal hand, "That they were Lena, it's not my fault I got into Culinary school and they can barely read." He set the basket down on their table gently, "Though given that I asked you to assist with them breaking my windows, I'm not sure I appreciated you throwing one of them through the one I just replaced."

She took a fry sheepishly, "I said I was sorry, didn't I?"

"Well, they did stop after that." He sighed, the tone echoing oddly through his modulator, "I suppose that you still get to keep your discount."

She grinned up at him, "You're the best love!"

"Yes, I am." He walked away, "I'm not just a pretty face..."

Emily watched Ronnie disappear back into his shop, before looking at Lena with a raised eyebrow, "You do make a lot of friends, don't you?"

"What can I say? I'm a people person."

"True... It won me over didn't it?" Emily leaned in, "Come to think of it, it's won _a few_ people over hasn't it?"

Lena started to lean in as well, "Well, an amazingly beautiful redhead and a staggeringly hot Frenchwoman... Not sure I need much else."

Their lips were a hair from touching, their breath mingling before their mouths crashed together, the feelings they'd missed out on over the last few days coming forth suddenly. They couldn't let it advance too far, Ronnie was happy to have them as customers but his worrying about the cleanliness of his tables would trump that, so they settled for pouring every ounce of their love into that kiss.

Lena was about to reach a hand up to Emily's hair, when suddenly her phone started ringing.

"Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me..." She snatched it up, watching as Emily sat back, her face red and her breath quick. Lena punched the answer button, "What?"

Winston's voice filtered through, his tone apologetic, "Lena, I'm sorry to call you up but we need you urgently!"

She shook her head, trying to let go of her lingering frustration, "Alright luv, go ahead."

"There's an attack going on at a pharmaceutical company in Brussels, it's Talon!"

"Wha- Brussels? What do they want there?"

"We don't have any idea, Athena and I are combing through their logs to find out if they are storing anything, but so far it's a mystery." He paused, "And Lena? Reaper is there. I know it hasn't been long since you first faced off..."

She shook her head, trying to fight the urge to call him by his name, "Reaper's no problem luv, just tell me where to meet the jet."

He grunted, "There is a point not far from your apartment, it should be quiet, can you get there in less than twenty minutes?"

She scoffed, "I can make it there in less than fifteen big guy." She clicked the call off, throwing it back in her pocket. She turned back to Emily, "Sorry luv, I gotta get going. There's a-"

"Something going on in Belgium, and Reaper is there." She got up, drawing Lena in for another kiss, "Don't worry pet, you get going. Say hi to Gabriel for me I guess."

Lena giggled, "This is so weird!" She nuzzled her nose against Emily's, "I'll be back before you know it!" She took off running, yelling back over her shoulder, "We'll have something nice for dinner tonight!"

Emily chuckled, "Maybe we'll have burgers again." She sat down, taking another bite, "Oh my god, that's so good."

 

Lena ran through the streets, ducking through alleyways and vaulting over cars as she made her way to the rendezvous. She clicked her tongue, hearing the sound of Gabriel's labored breathing, a telltale sign he'd just gotten out of combat, "Gabe! What's going on? Why are you attacking Belgium?"

"Hold on." She heard the sound of a door slamming closed, "I'm not attacking Belgium. I'm attacking a company in Belgium, don't make me sound like a super villain."

She rolled her eyes, "Alright fine, why are you attacking a company in Belgium?"

"This one?" He grunted, "Talon needs the research that the head scientist has been working on, thinking I'm gonna 'accidentally' kill him before that happens." She heard him grin, "Guess what I brought along though?"

"I give up, what did you bring?"

"One of Talon's best up and coming sergeants, he's very desperate to earn his stars. If he gets them, well... Our soldier's quality'll really go up."

She shouldered through a door, cutting through the building on the way to her destination, "And you brought him for me? It's not even my birthday Gabe!"

He chuckled, the sound rumbling through the communicator, "There's a bit of a catch though Ox. You're gonna have to fight me for it."

She giggled, "Is that all? Haven't gotten tired of me beating your arse up and down the street every time we faced off?"

"Let's not pretend that it was one-sided, had you dead to rights last time." He waved it off, "Well, no matter. You're coming with friends, right? Why don't we give them a show, just in case any of them might be suspicious of where you've been?"

"A real fight? A knock down drag out with one of my favorite enemies?" She grinned, "I think that sounds like a right blast luv."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings: None! I think, please let me know otherwise if you find something. For the most part I think this is just a nice chill chapter.
> 
> I think with this we might be reaching the halfway point? Maybe? Just a rough estimate at this point, who really knows, this was supposed to be a one shot for Christ sake.
> 
> I don't really have much to say here, other than Emily is a very supportive person and the world needs more of her.
> 
> See you next time!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in the end notes!

Lena sprinted forward, her shoulder slamming into the door as she pushed her way into the stairwell, pressing a finger to her ear. "Tracer to Air, leave the door open and don't stop, we're in a hurry!"

She blinked up the stairs, her feet barely touching down as she advanced upwards. She flipped a pistol out of her bracer, firing a round through the padlock securing the roof access shut. With a final step and an almighty push, she leapt through the air, her foot connecting solidly with the door and shattering one of the hinges.

She laughed to herself, scanning the skies quickly for any sign of the aircraft. It was incoming, fast. She knelt down, taking a runner’s stance and pushing off, the wind whipping past her as she came closer and closer to the edge. She leapt through the air, the ground beneath her disappearing and the air in front of her clear. She felt weightless, time coming to a standstill as she started to fall, before with a flash of movement the craft was in front of her, then she was rolling along the floor.

Angela fell back with a shriek, clutching at her chest as Lena made her foolhardy entrance. " _Scheiße!_ Lena! What on earth are you doing?"

Lena rolled onto her back, looking up at Angela and grinning to herself. "Heya Ange! Figured I'd save you fellas the trouble of landing!" She looked around. "Where's the rest of us?"

Angela took a deep breath, sitting back down against the wall. "McCree and Reinhardt are already there, they were nearby when the call came out."

"McCree and Reinhardt?" Lena screwed up her brow in thought, "What were they doing together?"

"Apparently they are working together for a little while." Angela waved her hand. "Reinhardt was greatly amused by the idea of a knight and a cowboy working together, he suggested they start the _Auftrag des Cowboys._ "

Lena chuckled, "That sounds like ol' Reiny." She got up off the ground, taking a seat next to the medic. "What about you Angie? How've you been? Or rather..." She leaned in, grinning to herself. "How've you both been?"

She shook her head, smiling to herself. "Fareeha told me you've been a little terror to her, I am much less easy to embarrass thank you very much."

"Aww c'mon! Just give me somethin'!"

"Fine." She smiled, looking off into the distance. "We are doing very well, the base doesn't feel so lonely now that more of us are there."

"More of us? I thought it was just you, Winston and Reeha?"

She shook her head. "Lucio is making the transition from freedom fighter to Overwatch agent right now, it was easier if he just stayed on base. He most certainly lights up the room when he's there." She chuckled, "His enthusiasm reminds me of the old days."

Angela's face darkened suddenly. "Which reminds me. We have another guest tagging along with us this time."

Lena tilted her head at the sudden change in mood. "Who's that luv?"

She sighed, clenching her hands around her staff. "You'll see."

 

"Lena, Angela. I would like to inform you that we are nearing the drop site."

Lena looked up from her hands, she had no idea why but her index finger had been twitching since she had woken up that morning. "Thanks Athena, drop us right near where the others are."

"They are currently on the third floor, would you like me to drop you directly?"

She grinned. "As close as you can get us luv." Beside her Angela was already groaning.

They felt the craft slow, the air buffeting them as the drop door opened. She looked at Angela, who nodded wearily, before taking off running. She leapt out of the drop ship, her pistol blasting holes in the looming window in front of them. Tracer tucked her knees, shattering through the window and rolling smoothly across the floor, Mercy floating in smoothly behind her.

"'Bout time ya'll showed up!" McCree yelled over his shoulder, firing off shots from behind the glowing blue shield in front of him. Tracer wasted no time blinking to his side, pistols firing off at targets of their own.

"Can't let you 'ave all the fun!" She fired to her right, a Talon trooper taking a burst to the chest and falling limply to the ground. McCree glanced over at her, bemused.

"It's fun now is it? I thought you were against this sorta thing?" His next two shots shattered one troopers visor and another's kneecap.

"I've turned a corner!" She blinked through the shield, sliding along the ground as she fired around her, two of her targets clutching their stomachs and hands in pain from where her pulse round lanced through them. Right as the other shooters began to fire at her position she recalled, standing right next to McCree a moment later.

Reinhardt laughed uproariously, "This is just like old times! Ah, if only Torbjorn was with us, it would be just like London!"

"If it makes you feel better old timer, I was still in London when you folks were out shootin'. I just couldn't participate."

He clapped McCree on the back, the force of the blow almost sending him stumbling through the shield. "You are right my Spaghetti friend! This does make me feel better!"

Tracer arched an eyebrow, glancing back at Mercy and mouthing, "Spaghetti?"

She shook her head, chuckling to herself, "After the genre of cowboy films. We tried telling him that but... his enthusiasm is infectious."

Three targets were left in front of them, their shots slowly wearing down the shield. McCree tipped his hat back, drawing his pistol and in an instant the three men's guns were shattered into pieces. He slapped Reinhardt's shoulder, yelling into his ear, "You're up!"

The hallway filled with booming laughter, Reinhardt leaping into the fray with his hammer swinging. The heavy bulk caught one-man square in the chest, a wet wheezing shooting out from his lungs as his body was flung through the window to the ground three stories below. He swung overhead, the second man helpless to avoid being crushed into the ground, the war hammer tearing through the floor as the crusader adjusted it in his hands and carved it forward, a heavy wave of flame carrying wood and stone flying towards the lone survivor. All that was left afterwards was a scorched indent on the wall behind where he had been standing.

The rest of them breathed in relief, finally able to take a moment to gather themselves. McCree was rocked forward once again by a slap from Reinhardt, the old man holding him like they were the oldest of friends. "My friend, that was wonderful! Why did we never work together before?"

"Because I was in Blackwatch? And you seemed like someone... None too pleased with what we were doing?"

"Ah, very true! Perhaps I should have worked for Blackwatch, I could have set all of you straight!"

Mercy giggled, "Blackwatch operatives required a certain level of... discretion. Gabriel would have had an aneurysm trying to rein someone like you in." She glanced sideways at McCree. "Though I am still lost as to why they hired a John Wayne enthusiast."

McCree slapped a hand to his chest, looking absolutely offended. "Hey now! Everything about me is one hundred percent Eastwood, I will accept no substitutes!"

Tracer shook her head. "Oh my god you people are so old!"

"I am only ten years older than you, you are not above this!"

They pushed through the doors, another squad waiting with guns drawn. Reinhardt activated his shield, just in time to block the torrent of bullets flying their way. He pushed forward steadily, the four continuing their back and forth as they fired back.

"What about Kevin Costner?" Mercy smirked, knowing exactly how he would react.

He growled ferociously, three troopers dropping in front of him. "Don't ever mention that name to me again!"

"Ah, you were more of a Mr Kilmer?" Reinhardt kicked his massive foot out, sending a desk sliding forward into a cluster of men. McCree nodded.

"You're goddamn right I was more of a Kilmer!"

"Why are you so obsessed with cowboys Jesse?" Lena threw her hands up, staring at him. "The wild west hasn't been around for almost two hundred years, you're a little bit late!"

He sputtered, almost missing his next shots. "Why am I obsessed? Have you seen 'em? They are effortlessly cool customers, riding alone in a damn hostile environment, who wouldn't wanna be one of 'em?"

Mercy nodded. "He does have a point. Were you not a fan of westerns?"

Tracer shrugged, firing another burst to make them keep their heads down. "Even when they were popular they were never really big back in England, it wasn't worth the effort to look for 'em."

"What the hell are you people talking about?" The leader of the squad ahead of them poked his rifle around the corner, firing indiscriminately. "This is a gunfight! Are you people completely insane?"

He leaned around the corner. "Can you-" His words were cut off as his head snapped back, his men dropping dead to the floor alongside him seconds later.

They turned around, seeing a blue silhouette approaching them, pulling back the bolt on their rifle. Reinhardt and McCree shifted uncomfortably, feeling the atmosphere get noticeably chillier from the two women beside them.

"Well, look who finally decided to get involved!" Lena threw her hands out, resting them on her hips as she stared at their guest, utterly unimpressed. The others did not say anything to support her, but they quite obviously did not contradict her.

Ana stepped forward with a sigh, shouldering her rifle as she looked each of them over. "Reinhardt, McCree." She looked at the last two noticeably longer, before shaking her head. "Tracer, Mercy."

"Ana." Mercy stared at the rifle she was holding with obvious contempt. "You're still carrying that abomination I see."

"I am using it for a reason."

"And I ordered it destroyed for another."

The older woman pushed past, heading for the next room. "I do not have time for this, I have a mission here."

"A mission huh? This about protecting the family again?" Lena kept up with her, leaning in. "Funny way of protecting it, leavin' us to deal with everything until you decide somethin' takes your fancy."

Ana shook her head. "You are still young Lena, you don't understand how this war needs to be fought, what must be done."

Lena growled, shoving Ana back against the wall, the older woman too stunned to make any attempt to resist. "Oh I understand alright luv, I think it's you who doesn't." She leaned in, their faces only inches apart. "When you got shot and ran off to have a pity party, I was still fightin'. When you sat around and did nothing while Talon and the UN blew us apart, I was still fightin'." She thumped her fist against her accelerator. "You might be older luv, but I’ve given more of myself to this fight than your wrinkly old arse ever will.”

The others looked on stunned as Ana merely shook her head again, slipping out from in front of Lena and pushing through the door into the next room. Lena watched her every step of the way, trying to will her fist to unclench itself. Mercy walked up, trying and failing to hide her smirk. "You know Lena, it's rude to point out a woman's age."

"It's rude to pretend like your daughter doesn't exist too." She shrugged. "I guess I'm holding onto some things Doc."

"Indeed." She leaned in close, whispering, "Good work."

Reinhardt rumbled over to them, his heavy steps shaking the ground they stood on. "I do not like to see my friends fight, but she has always been a headstrong woman. Perhaps it is what she needed to hear most."

Lena winced. "Sorry you had to see that Rein."

He smiled down at her. "Do not worry child. My heart weeps for young Fareeha more than anyone."

"Have you been to see her lately?" She patted his arm. "I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"I must do that! Who am I to deny one of my most cherished fans?" He turned to Angela. "I will be accompanying you back to the base! As will Jesse!"

He walked up, scratching at his head. "Now hold up, why am I comin'?"

"Do you not wish to see the rest of our friends?"

"Not particularly, no-"

Gunshots sounded from the next room, deep, booming blasts that felt as if they could tear the room apart all on their own. Each one of them knew that sound, and it was one that they had come to fear. Lena, however, felt only anticipation.

They stormed through the door, seeing that Ana had already engaged him. Reaper darted from side to side, his shotguns tearing apart the walls and tables she attempted to hide behind, barely able to squeeze a shot off without risking her head being splattered all over the walls behind her. She saw her opportunity, firing a shot right as his gun clicked empty. The round cracked against his face, his head snapping backwards and a pained roar ripping out from behind his mask. He threw the empty shotgun right at her, Ana ducking a second too late to avoid it, the butt of the gun cracking against her temple.

"Why are you doing this?" She jumped out and took cover behind another desk. "What made you turn your back on everything we believed in?"

He growled, hand gripping the edge of the table next to him. He screamed, "You know exactly what!" His hand cracking into the wood, he hurled the desk at her. She couldn't avoid the projectile, her shoulder exploding in pain as it connected. Dazed, she didn't notice him walking up beside her, his hand closing around her wounded shoulder and lifting her into the air. She had a moment to glare into his eyes before he slammed her down, her back impacting roughly with the hard floor, the air forcing its way out of her lungs in a desperate wheeze.

He pulled out his shotgun, aiming it between her eyes as he huffed, "Goodbye Ana."

"No!" A peacemaker slug impacted with the gun, the chamber shattering as a massive war hammer connected with his side. He flew backwards into a pillar, spinning off as he tried to recover.

Reinhardt charged forward, the ground tearing apart in his wake as he advanced on his enemy. Reaper recovered quickly, spinning around to meet him mid charge, shoving a new shotgun into his stomach. Reinhardt felt his abdomen explode in agony as he pulled the trigger, the blast shattering two of his ribs, thankfully not penetrating through his thick armor. He fell to one knee, Reaper swiping his clawed fingers across his face and kicking him down.

"You never did think about what you were doing, did you old man?" He chuckled, "So eager to throw yourself into harm’s way, how noble."

"He's an honorable man." Reaper turned at the voice, shouting in pain and clutching his eyes as a flashbang exploded in his face. McCree leapt forward. "Me on the other hand, I like to catch 'em from behind!"

He raised his peacemaker, firing six shots in rapid sensation into Reaper's chest. Or at least, where his chest had been. The slugs passed harmlessly through the mist, his shotgun coming up and firing right next to the cowboy's ear. His eardrum shattered under the force of the blast, blood pouring out and his eyes slamming shut in pain. He swung wildly, attempting to at least hit the wraith once, only succeeding in his arm being caught in the terrorist’s grip.

"Nice toy." Reaper squeezed around the prosthetic, the metal creaking under the pressure. "Shame if someone broke it." He crushed the arm in his grip, metal crumpling and sparks flying as Jesse screamed once more. Reaper twisted him around, swinging him around as he kept his grip, Jesse's back bouncing of the side of the wall and landing in an agonized heap. The wraith shook his head, almost sadly. "I thought you would have learned by now kid."

McCree looked up at him, spitting a mouthful of blood at him. "Guess I'm just stubborn that way. What are you gonna do about it?"

He couldn't answer as a flurry of pulse rounds pierced into his back, his head shooting back over his shoulder to see a grinning Tracer staring back at him. He pulled his foot back, driving it into McCree's chest and sending him flying back through the air, landing in a crumpled heap in front of Mercy.

Tracer fired off another burst, shouting out, "I'll take care of the wanker! You take care of them!"

" _Für die Liebe Gottes_ , please be careful!"

They ran back and forth, shots aimed to wing each other, not aiming for center mass. Pulse rounds ripped through his cloak, pellets skated across her skin, leaving beads of blood in their wake. Blast after blast demolished the room around her, flying wood and stone fragments cutting into her face as she ducked, she was even more grateful for her goggles now.

Reapers shotguns clicked empty. Growling, he whipped them at her and threw himself forward, slamming his shoulder into her stomach and tackling her to the ground. She put her arms up to protect her face, furious punches raining down and bruising her skin. He hooked one punch around, his fist slamming against her jaw before she slid herself forward, sliding through his legs and jumping to her feet. He barely had time to turn before her foot slammed into the side of his head, his vision swimming for a second as he stumbled sideways.

He looked up at her, the woman grinning at him with her fists raised, a glob of blood spat onto the floor as she readied for their next clash. He ran forward, throwing out a hook that she blinked through, grunting in pain as her elbow shot into his side, another punch being thrown into his liver for good measure. He threw his own elbow out, the blow connecting once more with her jaw. Tracer spun with the blow, going low and sweeping her leg against his, the heavy man falling to the ground. She pivoted, forcing herself into a roll and sending the heel of her foot crashing down against his stomach.

Underneath his mask, Gabriel was sure he tasted blood.

He stood, any previous assumptions he had about her fighting ability long gone. He put his guard up, determined not to let another blow slip through his defenses. Unfortunately, there were only so many ways you could predict how someone would throw a punch at you, and very few were trained to fight people who could teleport. Given that there was only one person in the world who could do that, there wasn't a very high demand for training.

He grunted as another punch dug into his kidney, then another on his other side. He threw his leg out, catching her in the stomach and forcing her back with a wheeze, her onslaught momentarily stopped. He surged forward, three punches of his own pounding against her side, before he threw his head forward for good measure, her nose crunching under the heavy carbon fiber of his mask. She kicked out at his knee, the blow forcing him into a crouch as she threw her knee forward, driving it right into the center of his chest.

He retreated, keeping an eye on her every move as she laughed to herself. "Where'd you learn to fight like this?" He growled.

She grinned. "I grew up in East London mate, people've known I liked birds since I was a little girl. You're not the first big bloke I've had to hand their arse to!"

He chuckled to himself, not letting his gaze drop for a second. She feinted to the left, shooting her leg out for a kick to his side. He caught it in his grip, grunting as he swung her around with all the strength he could muster. She flew backwards through a glass cubicle wall, travelling across the hallway and slamming against the next. The glass cracked as she slid down to the ground, pushing herself up onto her elbows. She chuckled as he walked closer, looking up as he stood over her.

"Not bad kid, but looks like I win."

She smirked. "I wouldn't say that luv."

Reaper reached down, grabbing her jacket and hauling her up to his eye level. He growled, "And why would you say that?"

"Because..." He felt something pressing against his stomach, his eyes widened as she said, "I never ran outta ammo."

A burst of energy rounds buried themselves in the side of his abdomen, Reaper howling in pain and dropping her to the ground. He let his form drop, vanishing from the room as Tracer watched on, still groaning from the glass shards buried in her back. She looked over to where the others were, all of them looking on with various degrees of awe and horror. "Are you guys alright?"

Mercy nodded. "The wounds are not life threatening, but I still want to get them out of here soon. McCree's arm is destroyed however, he will need to come back to base and let Winston repair it."

He chuckled, clenching his teeth in pain. "Looks like I'll be coming to see the big guy after all."

A voice crackled in Tracer's ear, clearly breathless from pain. "Gotta admit Ox, didn't think you'd actually shoot me."

She hummed, trying to make it sound as apologetic as she could. He chuckled, "Don't be sorry, that's good. A weapon that is never used is useless." He grunted, "Still though, I'd prefer if you didn't shoot me in the future. Just FYI."

Tracer yelled back over at her comrades, "I'm going to check around, see if anyone is still here to extract! You four get back to the carrier!"

"Little one!" Reinhardt grinned at her. "Be careful!"

She nodded, running through the floor of the office, searching for a stairwell. Gabriel chimed in again. "The squad leader is in the office three floors above you, he has the remains of his squad taking up residence in the hallway outside. He's currently interrogating the lead scientist about what they were working on." He cleared his throat, "If it's not too much trouble would you be able to kill them both? You arrived faster than I thought you would, I didn't get the chance."

She grunted as she forced her way up the stairs. "What were they working on?"

"Dunno, but if Talon wants it then it probably isn't anything good. Reyes out."

 

She pushed the door open slightly, peering through and attempting to get a look at what resistance she was facing. She got a split-second look before the door was shredded with gunfire, ducking back into the stairwell with a yelp. "Six men, automatic rifles." She nodded to herself. "Alright, I can do this."

She kicked the door open, blinking out into the middle of the hallway. Just as they began to fire she blinked again, leaping up and pressing her foot against the wall. She pushed off, somersaulting between three of the troopers as she fired her pistols in an arc around her, their face masks shattering and their chest plates tearing open as the rounds forced their way through them.

She ducked into a roll, firing low and crippling the remaining three. The closest to her dropped to his knees, a quick shot to the forehead and he slumped in her arms, her pistols firing around him and shredding the last two.

Lena shrugged him off of her, stretching her shoulders as she breathed out. She walked towards the office door, hearing the voices inside getting more and more heated. The door splintered under the force of her kick, her head whipping to the side as she barely avoided the burst of pistol fire that came her way. She fired back, her target leaping behind the central desk as he avoided her shots. He stood back up, dragging the scientist with him into the open. He held his pistol to the scientist's head, yelling, "Just give up you Overwatch bitch! I'll fucking splatter him if you take one more step, just watch!"

She tilted her head. "What do I care if you kill him? Apparently, he's just as bad as you lot."

"What?" He snarled, "You're some self-righteous hero, that's why! You protect the innocent, smite the evil, whatever poncy shit it is that you tell yourself in the mirror."

She chuckled, "Well when you put it that way, this does seem sorta weird doesn't it?" Lena kicked up one of the fallen trooper’s assault rifles, barely taking the time to aim before she fired a single shot. The bullet traveled through the air, the round easily passing through the scientist's shoulder and sinking into her target's lung.

He dropped the gun, his body suddenly feeling weightless as he stumbled backwards, back pressing against the tall window that overlooked the beautiful Belgian countryside. His vision went in and out of focus, barely able to process the form of the woman sprinting towards him before her knees sunk into his chest.

Lena loved flying, the feeling of sudden weightlessness as you first took off before it sunk in that you were in the air. The way the wind rushed by and the ground was little more than a distant memory. As she smashed her body against his, sending them both crashing through the window towards the ground, she was reminded of that exact feeling. She pulled out her pulse bomb, sticking it directly on his chest and priming it, hitting her recall just as the timer began to whine.

She stumbled to a stop in the middle of the office, just able to get herself steady before the building was rocked with the explosion, the rest of the windows shattering around her. She chuckled, brushing herself off as the scientist looked on in pained surprise. "W... you? What is Overwatch doing here?"

"Heard Talon was up to no good mate, that's why." She hummed, "And come to think of it, I heard that you were being a very naughty boy as well. Feel like telling me anything about that?"

He scowled, "And why should I do that? You almost blew my fucking arm off!"

Lena walked over, the assault rifle tapping against her leg as she took a seat across from him. "Because if you don’t tell me I’m gonna toss you out that window." She smiled. "We’ll see if your arm stays on then mate." Underneath the desk, out of his sight, she trained the assault rifle on him.

He froze, obviously not too keen on testing whether his body would survive a six-story fall. He breathed out finally, deflating in his seat. "Fine. What is it you want to know?"

"Why was Talon here? What were you working on that made them so desperate to attack?"

He pointed at a bottle of pills on the desk. "Those, we were working on those."

"Pills?" She picked up the bottle, shaking it in her hand. "What's so special then?"

"They're not ordinary pills, we got a contract for a new way to deliver explosives." Her eyes widened in horror, he continued on as if he were delivering the weather report. "The target swallows them, thinks that they're ordinary medicine. They don't dissolve in the stomach, and they stick to the lining. There's no time limit to when they can be activated, someone could be armed and not detonate for years."

She looked down at the bottle, placing it back on the desk. "How are they activated?"

He raised his hand, before slowly pulling out his desk drawer. He removed a small stick, a glass panel on the front revealing it as some sort of scanner. "Wave them in front of this, press the button and they're armed. It'll assign a number to each one, just select that one and you're good to go."

Sombra's voice filtered into her ear. "Just letting you know, I've got everything on them. Manufacturing plans, chemical makeup, even the companies that were involved." She hummed, "What do you want me to do?"

"Delete it all." Lena considered for a second, her next request obvious. "Destroy the companies involved, find out who was responsible for the orders and take their names down."

She chuckled, "Ooo they got you mad, didn't they? Consider it done."

"Um, excuse me?" Lena looked over at the scientist, his eyes screwed up in confusion. "Who are you talking to?"

She smiled, the genuine feeling in her response surprising even her. "A friend."

He waved his hand. "Whatever. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Help you?" She put her chin in her hand. "Help you how?"

"How?" He raised his voice in anger. "Give me protection! A new name, something like that! I helped you today, and you need my information!"

"No, we don't." She shook her head. "So no luv, we're not going to give you protection."

"I... why not?"

"Because..." She clicked the rifle from semi to full auto, his eyes widening in sudden horror as she said, "I made a promise."

She squeezed the trigger, each of the rounds still in the magazine tearing through his lower body and through the back of his chair. He slumped over the desk, his hand twitching for a second before finally expiring as the pain shut his heart down. Lena stood, tossing the empty rifle to the ground and snatching up the bottle of pills, pocketing both them and the scanner.

She pressed her finger to her ear, contacting the rest of the squad. "Tracer here, Talon team is done and dusted!" She did her best to sound remorseful, "I got here too late to save the researcher though."

"Understood Tracer." Mercy's kind voice carried over the channel, relief evident in her tone, "Are you injured? We felt that explosion all the way down here."

Lena walked over to the window, sweeping the glass away with her foot as she leaned out. The exterior of the building was completely demolished, all the windows shattered and a large enough crater in the side of the building to classify the office she was standing in a structural hazard. The cars in the parking lot below had been completely flattened, the concussive blast crumpling their metal frames as easily as crushing a paper cup.

She chuckled, "Yeah luv, nothin' I couldn't handle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Graphic violence, talk of medical based assassination.
> 
> Hey I studied film at University, can you tell by the way that I can't shut up about film, or write a single story where the characters don't talk about film at least once? (Kilmer is fantastic in Tombstone though, you should check it out!)
> 
> I hope the fight with Reyes and Lena was satisfactory, I hope it comes as just as much a surprise to you as it did to him the lengths she will go to for a win.
> 
> As well, Ana's relationship with the rest of the team is... cold. Disregarding Lena and Angela's feeling towards her, as they have MANY reasons to hold contempt for her, even those she was closer to would hold a grudge. You can't exactly let your friends believe you to be dead and let their world collapse and expect that everything is gonna be hunky dory. There will be more interactions with her though, going forward I'm expecting her and Morrison to become a larger part of this story.
> 
> Thank you for reading! I hope you'll be here for the next!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in end notes!

Lena trotted downstairs, every member of the Talon strike force laying dead in the hallways, feet slashing lightly as she carelessly stepped in rapidly drying blood, blowing her nose lightly to clear the stench of death. Her pulse bomb had clearly done a number on the building, glass cubicle walls shattered and wall hangings thrown to the ground.

In hindsight, she probably could have been a touch less dramatic, but when her blood was up it was difficult for Tracer to control her impulses. It kept her alive in a combat situation, and had saved the day on many an occasion, but it was hard to deny that Mercy in particular was getting tired of having to clean her up afterwards.

Though she was fairly sure the world's demo workers viewed her as a patron saint.

She pushed open the door to the entrance, where Mercy had moved the rest of the team after the rest of the floor had been swept for enemies and potential survivors, neither of which they found. They didn't see her approach, all focused on Mercy's hands as she set Ana's leg, either broken or dislocated, the doctor didn't want to make an uninformed guess when a full treatment was one mere flight away. The sniper hissed when pressure was placed on a particularly tender point on her leg, sighing in relief when an anesthetic was injected into her hip.

"So," Lena started, "How'd the lone wolf approach work then luv?"

"A little hypocritical, coming from you."

The pilot nodded. "True, but I'm not collecting a pension either. How about from now on you keep your secret missions out of ours, yeah?"

"I am going to agree with Lena," Angela looked down at her patient disapprovingly, shaking her head as she motioned for Reinhardt to lift her up. "We cannot have you disrupting our missions and endangering the members of this team by being a rogue element. You can either let us in on what your mission is, or you can distance yourself from this organization for good."

Ana looked around at the various other disapproving faces, McCree with barely contained hostility and Reinhardt with a resigned, almost regretful sadness. "I take it this opinion is universal then?"

"I'm sorry my dear," Reinhardt covered her hand with his own, utterly dwarfing her in size. "I of all people know the danger of not being able to rely on your allies. I have been in your position before, and it cost me an eye and a man who was dear to me, it is a pain that sticks to your soul."

"Can we talk about this shit once we're out of here?" McCree waved the useless stump of his arm, wires sparking for emphasis. "Some of us have thing's we'd rather have attached to us again."

"Understood." Angela pressed a button on her wrist, calling the ship down to them. She glared down at Ana, speaking lowly, "We will discuss what happened here today later, with _everyone_. You are no longer in command, it is high time that you and Jack realized that."

Ana glared back, though it was much less effective now that the anesthetics had started to do their work. The last thing she was aware of before her eyes closed and she lost herself to unconsciousness was Lena rapping her knuckles against her forehead, chirping happily as she jumped up onto the drop ship.

"So, Angie," She said, waiting for the doctor to get herself secured. "Were the drugs really necessary or did you really not want to hear her speak?"

Angela had the good grace to almost look offended. "Her leg was in a bad way after that fight she had, an extended period of time with that injury would be utterly unbearable." Lena didn't miss the coy smile that flashed across her face. "Her being unconscious is merely a happy side-effect."

The other two of their team took their seats, Reinhardt grimacing as he ran his hand over what was definitely at least three cracked, possibly broken ribs, while McCree merely attempted to ignore the whining and sparking of his ruined arm, looking out the window and watching detached while a wall of the building collapsed into the parking lot as they pulled away. "Really did a number on this one didn't you Ox? You know, I'm thinking that one of these days I'd like one mission where the building _doesn't_ explode, how ‘bout you?"

"Oi! Last one didn't go up like that, it's not like this is a constant thing!" She leaned over to the side, nudging Reinhardt with her foot. "How you doing luv? Caught one pretty bad there didn't you?"

He laughed that booming laugh, the kind that one couldn't fake if they had a thousand years and the greatest talent in the world, the one filled with such sheer joy that if you were in its presence you couldn't help but start feeling joyous yourself.

Lena always wondered if it was genuine, or if he really _was_ just that good at faking.

"I am fine my dear, nothing that the good doctor cannot fix up in a flash when we are home." He pointed a massive finger over at Jesse and Ana. "I am much more worried for those two, they do not have the same protections that I do, though in young Jesse's case he certainly acts like he does."

"I'm thirty-seven old timer, not seventeen." He smirked, flicking his hat up. "But maybe in your old age you're forgettin' that ain't ya?"

Another booming laugh. "Of course! How could I forget that, you're one of the fiercest heroes Overwatch possesses! Young Jesse McCree, victor of countless battles, vanquisher of evil," He clapped him on the back with enough force to almost propel him from his chair. "And now can do all of this with one hand tied behind his back."

Lena rolled her eyes, though she made no effort to fight the smile that took up residence on her face. "I don't want to bring down the mood but..." She looked over at that blue sleeping form near the wall. "What do you two really think about what she's up to?"

Reinhardt sighed, for a split second letting slip just how much pain was sitting behind that eye, how much regret one man could be filled with. "I look at her and... And I am reminded of myself, many, many years ago. I see that same need to do everything yourself, the same determination to be the only person involved. What I do not see however is that foolhardy happiness that I felt all the time back then. I just see... I just see a mission."

Jesse had much harsher words on the subject. "I think she needs to pull her fuckin' head out of her ass. Things were goin' fine till we had to abandon strategy to save her ass from a buckshot makeover." He waved the stump of his arm again. "Remind me how that shit went? Far as I'm concerned apart from ol' Reiny here the old timers can go fuck themselves."

"What about Torbjorn?"

"I'll probably change my mind on him when I know I won't have to sit through a three-hour lecture on keeping my arm working." He sighed, "Look, I've been fighting since I was twelve, first with Deadlock, then with Blackwatch. The thing that's always been constant is that there's always some old fuck who's just chompin' at the bit to fuck you for not showing respect, or 'cause they think they know better, or just plain because fuckin' up's all they do."

Angela nodded in sympathy. "You haven't exactly had the best of experiences with the older generations."

"Gabriel was good to me, took me out of the fire and gave me something that I could think of as a family." He chuckled bitterly, "But he was a piece of shit too, I'm not _that_ blind. You can't do the sort of things that me and him did and _not_ be a piece of shit."

Lena was silent, she knew that Reyes was listening, there was no reason why he wouldn't be. The fact that he wasn't speaking up was telling.

"Well, I cocked up a nice ride then, didn't I?" The other three shared a laugh at her comment, even Athena chiming in with a small chuckle. "Well, at least we're laughing about _something_ from today right?"

"Yeah..." Jesse groaned as he slid back in his seat, hat being pulled over his eyes as he prepared to sleep the rest of the journey. "You find anything up in that office? 'Cause we found precisely dick."

She felt the bottle of pills rustle in her jacket, the detonator tapping along next to it. She shook her head, her voice resigned, "Nah, didn't find anything 'cept a dead guy. This was just a big waste of time."

"What about anything on their systems?"

That lit a lightbulb up in Lena's brain. "Athena, did you get a chance to look in?"

"I attempted a scan when you first moved in, but I did not find anything of worth. It is highly likely that Talon foresaw us taking this action and made date erasure a priority."

Jesse nodded under his hat. "That'd probably be Sombra, if Reaper was there then she's almost guaranteed to be there too. It's a shame," He grunted, "She's pretty fun off the clock."

"I... What?" Lena looked between the others, who looked equally befuddled. "How would you know that?"

"Pretty sure I got drunk with her at Christmas. Don't remember much except waking up with another five grand on my bounty and my hat tossed up on the top of the statue in Dorado." Reinhardt laughed harder than all of them, tears in his eyes when he finally settled down. "What are you laughing at old timer? I'm serious!"

"Oh, I know that young Jesse, I have been drinking with you countless times in these twenty years. I was just thinking that with all your experience you would have gotten less embarrassing about it."

"Oh yeah? Do I have to remind you of when we all got together, and you couldn't stop yappin' in my ear about 'Captain Amari's luxuriously soft skin'?"

Reinhardt blushed harder than any of them had seen in a long time, instantly hiding his face in his armored palm. "No, no you don't."

"Reinhardt Wilhelm, captor of men and women's hearts the world wide, laid low by a wink and a smile." He smirked, fingers tapping idly against his bicep. "She just had you wrapped around her trigger finger huh?"

"Come on Jesse, play nice." Angela chided him, a smirk of her own chilling his blood. "Do I have to remind you of the many nights you kept me up talking about a certain ninja with a... How did you say it... 'Gloriously sculpted ass'?"

"You know Angie, I think you got a point there. No hard feelin's Reiny."

Reinhardt still looked embarrassed, speaking more to himself than the others, "I know she was taken, but you can hardly control these little crushes..."

"Oh come on, you don't exactly have to beat yourself up over it." Jesse scoffed, "Pretty sure half of Overwatch was into her at some point or another." He looked around, seeing how everyone shifted their gaze elsewhere. "Well, I guess it might be _all_ of Overwatch, huh?"

Angela coughed, looking over to Lena while she tried to fight the faint pink dusting her cheeks. "Perhaps it is time we moved onto something less embarrassing, no?" She brushed a finger over Lena's neck, the younger woman hissing when it made contact with a shallow cut. "You really must be more careful Lena, your reckless style certainly overwhelms the enemy, but it leaves you tremendously vulnerable."

"I'm careful as can be doc, you know that." She flashed a grin that she knew was cocky but had given up on making look like anything else years ago. "You know me, I can't really change at this point."

"I suppose not," She sighed, "Still, do try and be more careful, for us if no one else. And... You did very well out there Lena, you kept us alive, we owe you a great debt."

"Oh it... It was nothin' Angie, it's my job to protect you."

Reinhardt was much less subtle with his praise. "You were fantastic little one!" He grinned wide, she could swear she saw a twinkle in his blind eye. "The Reaper was no match for you, it was like you were possessed by the spirit of battle itself!"

"Gotta agree with him on this Ox, when'd you start fightin' like that?" Jesse leaned forward, hat tilted back in his sudden interest. "Haven't seen you move like that in years, not since... You know it's been a long time is all."

She couldn't deny she'd stepped up her viciousness in combat, though she could hardly tell them the exact reason for it. She figured a half-truth wouldn't hurt. "I guess I'm just gettin' sick of the bollocks now."

He huffed a laugh, "Fuckin A. Guess I'm rubbin' off on you huh?"

"Yeah..." She looked out the window, the smoking wreckage of the building all but a dot on the horizon now. "Guess you are..."

 

They touched down at the temp base in London, Winston meeting them on the landing pad to assist with moving Ana. The sniper had just woken up but she was still far from being able to move on her own, the limbs that weren't injured were like jelly when she tried to sit up, so it was with a frown and a huff that she lay back down on the stretcher. Lena walked beside them, aware of Ana's eyes burning into the back of her skull, whether it was from anger or a need for answers she didn't know, nor did she particularly care. What she did care about was the possibilities that had now popped up, so after Ana had been dropped into a hospital bed and Angela had stepped away to prepare the machines for testing, Lena leaned in.

"You should really go see Fareeha while you're here, she's been worried sick about you." She couldn't help the way she scowled, voice going deeper as she said, "After the way you've treated her I dunno why, but she still cares about you. Just go visit her, let her know you're alright."

"She's better off without seeing me, this cannot involve her. I regret it but..." Ana sighed, "This is the way it must be."

Lena rolled her eyes, scoffing bitterly, "God, you're such a selfish old git you know that? You make her think that you're dead for decades, then you give her some hope that you give a shit by coming back from the dead. But to hell with that right? Mission comes first and all."

Ana narrowed her eyes, mouth flattening into a line. "I don't think it's any business of yours what me and my daughter do."

Her vision flashed red, the pilot's hand tightening into a fist as she struggled to hold back. "You know what? Fuck this." She wrapped her hand around Ana's leg, satisfied with the grunt she got in response to her squeezing down on the most injured part of the bone. "You are going to go see your daughter, even if it's just for five minutes, so she can stop worrying about whether or not you ever even loved her in the first place." She squeezed tighter, Ana's throat vibrating in a pained growl. "If you don't I swear to whatever god's up there that I'm going to break this fucking thing and keep you in this bed until she's had her fill of bedside visits. I don't care if you're dead set on being the world's shittiest parent, that pathetic shite stops now, you will not hurt my friend like this anymore."

She released her grip right as Angela entered the room, flicking a confused gaze between the two of them. Lena smiled down at Ana, whose face could only be described as volcanic. "Glad we had this talk Cap, be seein' ya."

Lena strolled out of the infirmary, certain this time that the burning in the back of her skull was due to anger, unable to care while she whistled, satisfied that she'd done her friend a favor.

Her commlink went off, Winston's deep voice rumbling in her ear a second later. "Lena, it's very nice to have you back with us."

"Should bloody well hope so luv, I had to give up a pretty good burger to get here today."

"Ah, well... I'm sorry, to you and I suspect Emily."

She giggled, "Aw Winny, you care too much you know that?"

Winston cleared his throat awkwardly, never able to keep up with anyone's teasing for very long. Which naturally made it everyone's favorite pastime.

"I just wanted to let you know that we've transferred the recent capture from the safehouse to this base, just so you're not caught unaware if you should happen to see him." His voice was stern when he said, "I heard from Jesse how his capture went, please refrain from stomping on his head when you are on these grounds."

"Oh come on luv, that was just... A heat of the moment thing! I'm not going to start roughing up prisoners for the hell of it!" She snorted, "I might make them think that, but I'm not gonna _do_ it."

"I'm sure you're right, I just wanted to let you know, just in case."

"Actually Winston, you mind if I have a crack at him? He might know something that we can use, could be a big help."

The line was silent while he considered her offer, her feet carrying her towards the holding cells regardless. "I'm fine with it, but I'll have to contact Angela. He is now her patient after all, she was not very appreciative of how he came in today."

"Fair enough, I'll just be sitting outside waiting then." The line clicked closed, the only sound coming from her shoes clicking against the linoleum floor. Of course, it wasn't long before another voice was in her ear.

"You know _rápida_ , there's another League base in London... Maybe you could take advantage of this, huh?"

Lena sighed, keeping her voice low, "Sombra, are you ever _not_ listening to me?"

"No."

 

"Hello Lena," Angela's arms were crossed, her brow furrowed. "We had such an eventful afternoon I forgot why I was angry with you."

"Hey..." Lena rubbed a hand along the back of her neck, awkward grimace in place of a smile. "What's the damage then doc?"

"I had to treat our prisoner for a rather severe head injury as soon as I arrived here, something which I am no fan of for a multitude of reasons, chief among them being that head injuries are always an irritation to treat." She huffed a breath out her nose, Lena knowing that she was forcing herself to not scream. "It's a miracle that he didn't suffer any brain damage, given that you kicked him with enough force to _fracture his skull._ "

"Alright I can admit that I got a bit... Overzealous there. But that was a one-time thing, I'd just found some pretty bad stuff and I needed to get it out, I promise that I'm all good now." She held a hand up, pulling a few fingers down in a salute. "Scout's honor."

Angela didn't look convinced, so Lena brought out the big guns. She widened her eyes, dropping her mouth open in the most doe eyed expression she could force herself to muster. "C'mon Angie, I'll be good I promise! I'll even take him his medicine, if you don't like the way I do that then we can call it quits."

She considered for a second, before reluctantly nodding her head. "Fine, you will take in his medication. But you will not touch a hair on his head, you will place the pills down on the table and then step backwards, are we clear on that?"

"Chrystal Captain!" She mock saluted, already bouncing as she walked over to the cart, a paper cup already filled with all the pills he needed. "This it luv?"

"Yes, do try not to spill them in your eagerness." Angela stepped away to lean against the wall, Lena leaping at the chance before she lost it. She shot her hand into her jacket, dumping one of the pills into the cup, waving it past the detonator and activating it before turning around, grin plastered on her face while she bounced past the doctor.

She all but kicked the door open, the prisoner jumping in the air then cowering against the wall when he saw who had just entered the room. "Please! Don't hurt me, I want to cooperate!"

"Oh my god mate you're such a wet blanket." She placed the cup down, flicking her hand lazily towards it. "There, eat up. So your head doesn't fall open or whatever."

He eyed the pills suspiciously. "W-what's in them?"

"What's usually in medicine you div. If I was going to hurt you I'd just raise my foot up and-"

She cut herself off when she heard the sound of a throat clearing over the intercom, looking over to the window and seeing Angela shaking her head. She continued awkwardly, "Just eat the pills mate, you'll feel better in no time, then you can actually be useful."

Lena stepped out, pulling Angela gently in and keeping her voice down. "Look, Angie, I'm not going to touch the guy, but I need to do something to make him talk, don't I?"

She tilted her head. "Since when are you our resident expert on interrogations?"

"Well you're too kindly, Jesse's got an arm missing, Fareeha's off base at the moment, who else is there? Don't say Winston, he's even more of a sweetheart than you are." She shrugged. "Besides, wanker's already afraid of me, be a shame not to use that."

"I... Suppose you are right." She held her finger up, expression absolutely serious. "But you are not to touch him under any circumstances, that is where I will draw the line."

"You're the boss, boss. Won't even need to..." She grinned, teeth glinting in the light. "I've been doing a little reading up."

 

Lena stepped back into the room slowly, eyes never leaving the prisoner's as she went to take a seat, the metal legs scraping slowly against the floor when she pulled it out. She could almost feel his heartbeat, visibly swallowing when she leaned forward on her knees, eyes searching his for any hint that he might know anything more. "You said you want to cooperate, were you telling the truth?" He nodded frantically, not even able to make words form in his fear. She grunted, "If you're not telling the truth, there's stuff I can do that makes that headache seem like nothing."

She stood, towering over him when he sunk further into the wall. "We have the best medical practitioner in world on our team, she's even found a way to bring people back from the _dead_ mate. Imagine the things we could do to you and just... undo, just like that." He was quaking, lip quivering. "I'm going to ask you a couple questions, I want you to answer me honestly, otherwise I'm going to shoot you in the legs until you pass out. Then I'm going to give you over to her, I'm going to keep doing that until you give me an answer I like. Then we can start all over again with the next question. Understood?"

He nodded, eyes showing no hint of deceit or apprehension, only fear was visible in his expression. She figured that was good enough. "What were you involved in doing regarding Omnics and their supporters?"

"We... We were going from neighborhood to neighborhood, picking one at random and making an example of them. Figured sooner or later they'd get the message and piss off underground where they belong."

"Who's financing you?"

"We got funding from another branch of the League, they set up shop in North London, closest thing we've got to a voice with the heads. Most of what we do comes as an order directly from them, no way are we going to say no to them." He shivered, "They're some scary bastards."

She hummed, "Where is it they're stationed? Is it residential, business?"

"Down in the slums, less chance of anyone seeing them, and if they do there's less chance they'll actually give a shit. Most of them lost their houses 'cause of the Clankers, they usually jump at the chance to join."

"How charming." She shook her head, standing back up. "You stay here while we figure out what to do with you."

"What?" His eyes widened in fear. "What do you mean what to do with me?"

"If I had my way I'd shoot you right here and dump you in the trash, but my friends might not like that. Gotta talk to them first." She flashed him a smile and a wave before closing the door. "Ta!"

Angela looked at her in concern when she exited, Lena walking over to her with a bright smile. "How'd I do luv? Was I big and scary?"

"I... Yes, actually, you were. What exactly were you reading up on?"

"Popped into the archives, watched a bunch of old Blackwatch interrogations. Well, the ones without torture at least, figured they were pretty good at cracking the tough nuts."

"Well... Good job I suppose." She shivered, looking over at the wall. "I could have sworn I was looking at Gabriel again..."

Lena supposed that was a compliment of sorts, though with the expression of pain that was pinching Angela's face, it wasn't the time to get hung up on it. She wrapped an arm around the doctor's side, pulling her head into her chest when she heard a sniffle. "We all miss him luv, nothing can be done about that..." The lie was bitter on her tongue, though she supposed it was better to lie in this case. Come to think of it, she had no idea if Angela had any idea of the role she'd played in his resurrection, and now was not a good opportunity to try and find out. So she stood there with the doctor crying lightly into her chest, hand rubbing lightly up and down her back in a small attempt to comfort her.

"I'm sorry," She said after pulling back, "Sometimes I remember just who we've lost before, all of us... Sometimes it gets a little overwhelming."

"I know what you mean Ange, trust me..." She thought back to Amelie, changed irreparably from the woman she used to be, flashes of a life lost along with a husband, a wonderful man who strode to see the best in everyone. Both had been taken away from her, and she had lived with that for so many years. "I know exactly how you feel."

"We can never regain what was taken from us, we can only hold onto what we have now. I have Fareeha, and you have Emily, and we both have everyone in this family that we are making. We won't lose anyone else, not ever again."

"Bold words doc." She smiled, kissing her temple lightly. "Can't say I agree more."

Winston's voice buzzed in her ear, and she could already tell that he was regretting this conversation. "Lena, would I be able to talk to you in private? It is best that I give you this news in person."

"Uh, sure thing luv, just gimme a minute to get to the lab." She shrugged at Angela, squeezing her shoulder. "You'll be alright, just hits us sometimes is all. But we always bounce back don't we?"

The doctor smiled. "That we do. Go, I'm sure Winston is waiting up on you."

"I love to be fashionably late though doc, it's the best way to make an entrance!"

 

She was fashionably late, ever the showman. Though it wasn't long before she was fashionably screaming her head off. Or at least, making a good show of screaming her head off.

"Lettin' him go? What do you mean lettin' him go?"

Winston sighed, adjusting his glasses, "I think it's in our best interest to let him go to his superiors. Once we have a positive ID we can inform the proper authorities and we can go from there."

"And if he slips away? What then?" She ran a hand through her wild hair. "You got a plan for when that happens?"

"That won't happen, because you'll be there watching his every move. If he runs... Don't kill him, but stop him. Even if he has to spend another few nights with Angela." He snorted, "I'm not an idiot Lena, just because I don't want there to be any unnecessary violence doesn't mean you shouldn't put him down if you need to. Just keep it as a last resort."

"I don't think you're stupid luv it's just... It feels wrong, doesn't it? Letting him walk the streets, even if it's just for a little while. Did you see the videos on that hard drive?" He nodded solemnly. "Then you know what he deserves. At best, it's a cell without any sunlight."

He sighed, bowing his head in apology. "I'm sorry Lena, but this has to be done. We can save so many more lives today, we just need to be willing to deal with this for now."

"I..." She idly flicked her fingers against the detonator, on the safety mode at the moment until she was prepared to use it. "Fine. But if he does anything I don't like I'm puttin' him down."

"Fair enough. And Lena?" He smiled gratefully. "Thank you for doing this."

"Don't be." She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice, the feeling of lying to her best friends not exactly a good one. "Just doing my job."

 

The situation was explained clearly to her prisoner, including every way that she would kill him if things went wrong. "You're being given an out here, you do this, and we'll make sure the filth takes it easy on you." She leaned in, her voice a hiss, "You do anything other than that, I'll make sure you feel everything you did to those poor Omnics."

Jesse nodded beside her, his arm in a sling and his mouth set in a scowl. "Just gimme the chance, I'd love to put a slug in your back."

He nodded fearfully, slipping into the car with no protests and covering the wire on his chest with his shirt. "Whatever you need, just please, don't hurt me anymore."

"No promises." Jesse said, slamming the door shut.

Angela watched the two, looking in concern at Jesse's still ruined arm. "Are you certain you should be going out again? You do only have one arm after all."

"Not like it's my shootin' arm Angie, 'sides Torbjorn ain't here to fix me up, might as well make myself useful."

"Even with one arm, we'll still work together." Lena winked. "Don't worry luv, I'll make sure that he doesn't cock up too badly."

"Speak for yourself Ms. Fractured Skull." He opened the passenger door, gesturing back at the prisoner with his revolver drawn. "Don't even think about trying anything."

"Ten minutes in, ten minutes out. Relax Angie, we'll be fine." Lena smiled, running a hand down her arm. "We'll be back in time for dinner, any idea what's being made?"

"I think Reinhardt was planning on making sauerbraten meatballs, though I'm not sure with his ribs."

"Reinhardt's cooking?" Lena nodded. "We'll definitely be home for dinner."

 

They pulled up a block from where the safe house supposedly was, Lena acutely aware of the detonator in her jacket pocket. Their prisoner breathed in and out, scared to death of the two people in the car but equally scared of what his compatriots would do if they found out he was working against them.

Lena shook her head. "They try anything then we'll be in there in a second, don't worry about it. You do your job and we'll do ours."

"We've just been through a lot together, just wonder if they'll know something's up..."

"Boy if you don't get your ass out and walk into that building I'll shoot you myself." McCree growled, growing more frustrated over his lack of an arm. "Hurry up and get this over with."

He leapt out of the car as if he'd actually been shot, feet carrying him as fast as they could towards what he viewed as his salvation. Lena thumbed the detonator idly, tuning their radio to pick up the audio from their wire. "You know... I've got kind of a weird feeling about all this."

"Me too Ox, I'd rather just shoot the prick and be done with it."

"Nah it's not that..." She shook her head, leaving the details to be worked out in the minds of everyone listening. "Forget it, it's probably nothing."

Winston's voice filtered through their comms, voice rumbling with worry, "Lena if you think something is going on then please, tell us."

"I dunno it just feels like... He agreed to this pretty fast right?" The sound of him opening the front door of the safe house clicked in their ears, her eyes turning to the four-story building that housed some of the people that she despised most in the world. "I guess I'm just worried something else might be up, you know?"

"According to his information the building is free from civilians." Winston sighed, "If you have to then don't hold back, prevent them from doing any more damage in any way you can."

"Dylan, what are you doing here?" He had entered the inner sanctum, the heads of that arm of the organization clearly surprised to see him. "You didn't call ahead, what is the matter?"

"We got hit a few days ago, I only just came out from underground to come here, then I'm disappearing again."

"Hit?" His voice was quite obviously alarmed, "What do you mean hit? Hit by who?"

"Who I have no idea, but a bunch of us are dead and a bunch more are in prison. They got the hard drives Chris, they know what we've been up to." He adjusted the microphone covertly, careful to not draw attention to himself. "I came here to tell you to square your things away, they might be coming for you as well."

"Fuck! Alright, we'll get to work on shredding everything, anything that can connect us with this."

"Do you have anything connecting us to Australia, Russia? They find out that we've been selling Omnics and their sympathizers the world's going to shit itself."

There was a harsh intake of air from everyone listening in, even from Lena, though this information wasn't exactly new to her it was still nauseating to think about. Angela sounded particularly outraged, pained breathing clear through the airwaves, one step from screaming to anyone who would hear her.

"We're clear on that front, our boys in immigration took care of everything, made everything in and out completely legitimate, there's no risk of it blowing back on us, not unless they find out that we're _directly_ involved."

Lena started counting in her head, the moment for her to press the button was coming closer and closer, but she needed to wait. She needed it to be perfect.

"Something's wrong, I'm sure of it..." She said, "I don't know what it is but there's..." She waited for Jesse to look right at her before she widened her eyes, her head shooting up and staring alarmed at the building, needing to know one final thing. "Angela, did you get a chance to do a full body scan of our boy before?"

"I... No, only a cranial scan for injuries, there was no time for anything else." She was beginning to sound panicked, "What is it Lena? What is happening?"

_Any moment now, any moment..._

"Glory to humanity Dylan."

The sound of their hands meeting was clear as Dylan replied, "Glory to humanity Chris."

Lena threw open her door, rushing out and screaming into her communicator, "Shit, _he's rigged!_ "

As soon as her hand was out of Jesse's sight, she pressed down on the button.

And the world turned white.

The explosion was muffled at first, a split second of a thump that shook the ground and made them think that it was all. Then came the secondary, tearing through concrete as easily as tissue paper, the pressure wave slamming against her and driving the breath from her lungs, only a lifetime of explosive experience keeping her from collapsing to the ground. Walls were torn apart, windows on houses across the street shattered as a fireball even larger than the one they'd seen at the funeral pushed its way through whatever hole it could find in the building around it, creating new ones where the masonry simply couldn't contain it.

All four stories were on fire, pushed apart as easily as a tower of blocks, the fire only extinguishing when the bottom floor finally toppled from strain, the rest of the building following it down like it was made of mere cards. The dust cloud kicked up covered the neighborhood, Lena covering her mouth and pulling her goggles down so she didn't go blind, the stench of destruction filling the air and making the two of them gag. Jesse stumbled up to her, putting his arm over her shoulders and looking in awe at the safe house.

Or at least, where a safe house had been standing seconds before.

"Holy fucking shit..." He said, "Are you ok Lena?"

Lena nodded, though even she wasn't completely sure at this point. "Yeah mate, yeah. I'm fine."

She didn't know whether or not she was lying, it was too soon to tell honestly. If she wasn't fine, then she was fine. But if she _was_ fine, then she wasn't naive enough to think that meant anything good.

"I _think_ I'm fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings: Allusions to slave trade, allusions to torture.
> 
> Here we are again! It's wonderful to be back, sorry it's been so long! Truth be told, I'd lost the creative spark for a little while, though I'm happy to say that I'm back!  
> A part of why it's taken a while is because this does deal with some heavy themes, and in between the moments of comedy this can be pretty draining to write. It was in a conversation with TwoHeartedAlien that the suggestion was given for something a little lighter, so perhaps someone will be getting a date night soon...
> 
> As always, give a comment if you liked it, or if you have any questions you want to ask. Share with your friends if you REALLY liked it, there are very few higher comments than that, apart from fanart.  
> You can find me [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr, ciao!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in the end notes!

The size of the blast had caught everyone by surprise, especially Lena herself. She hadn’t quite been prepared for the fact that a building that had been standing seconds ago was now just _gone_ , but she didn’t have time to look at the result of her work for long before Jesse’s serape was draped over her head and she was being led back to the car.

“Shit, we need to get out of here before anyone comes by,” He growled as he turned the key in the ignition. “Last thing we need is to be seen where a fuckin’ building just went up!”

“It’s just… It’s just gone...” Lena couldn’t tear her eyes away from the smoking rubble, not even while they were driving away and it was squarely behind them.

“Are you two alright?” Angela’s voice crackled through their earpieces, her panic clear, “What happened?”

Jesse swerved into a back alley, leaning over the seat to examine Lena while he answered, “Prick was wired, he went up as soon as he made sure anyone who could tell us anything was there.”

Lena hissed when he ran his finger over a slice on her neck, barely resisting the urge to bat his hand away. “Lay off Jesse, god, I’m fine!”

“You were fifty feet from a building goin’ down, and a piece of somethin’ just missed your carotid.” He grunted, waiting until the approaching sirens went by before pulling out. “I don’t give a goddamn if you can rewind that, a hit like that’ll put anyone down.”

“Jesse? How is she?”

He ignored Lena’s pout, taking one last glance before nodding to himself. “She’s fine, just a few cuts. Nothin’ can’t be fixed up in a couple minutes.”

“Good...” Angela sighed, obviously relieved, “Get back to base and we’ll… We’ll try and sort everything out.”

“Uh, no offense to anyone or anything, but I just want to go home.” Lena let her head fall back against the seat, groaning deeply and stretching out. “It’s been a really long day, I just want to get back to Emily.”

“You know we can’t do that Lena, we have to-”

“C’mon doc, please? Jesse saw everything that happened anyway, he’ll be able to tell you everything.” She tried to make her voice as pleading as possible, “I’ll owe you one Angie, please?”

“Winston?” Angela said, “What do you think?”

A deep grunt was their only answer at first before he continued, “I would prefer everyone to be here at base but…” He paused, “But I understand that it is harder to do so when your loved ones are away from you. You can go home Lena, on one condition.”

“What’s that big guy?”

“Let Jesse take you to one of the safehouses first, I want someone to take care of your wounds for you. I don’t want to take the chance on you missing something vital.”

She nodded, finally letting herself relax. “Thanks Winston, that’s fair enough.”

Jesse switched directions and continued driving towards the nearest safehouse, grumbling to himself, “Since when did I sign up to be a fuckin’ doctor...”

 

By the time they’d finished at the safehouse, Lena fussing the entire time and delighting in agitating Jesse, it was almost ten o’clock. Far too late to take Emily out to dinner, or even to watch a film together, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t fall into bed beside the woman she loved and let the ringing in her ears fall silent again.

Which was exactly what she did almost as soon as she stepped in the door, barely having the presence of mind to kick her shoes off and strip herself of her sweaty and bloodied clothes before she was out, thumping face first into the mattress and almost waking Emily. The window was open, a cool breeze blowing over her body and cooling her still burning body, the aches and pains of the day falling away into the night.

When she woke up her arm was around Emily, face buried in her hair and a gentle rise and fall underneath her hand. Lena smiled to herself, pressing a kiss to Emily’s cheek before falling onto her back, staring up at the ceiling and sighing happily. “Right-o,” She said, “First order of business.”

Pulling out her phone, she dialed in Winston’s number, waiting the usual four rings before he answered. “Lena?” He said, “What do you need?”

“I need the day off right now I think.” She looked over at Emily’s slowly shifting form, just on the edge of sleep and waking. “Been awhile since me and my girl’ve had a chance to relax. Figure it’s time that I spend a day with the woman I love, don’t you?”

She almost expected him to fight her on that, to tell her that she still had to come in and tell them what exactly had happened the day before. To her surprise, though she supposed that it was no surprise at all really, he chuckled happily, saying, “Understood Lena, tell her that I say hello for me will you?”

“She’s almost awake, you could tell her yourself if you want to.”

“Oh. No um, no that’s fine. You two just have a good day.” He paused before adding, “Maybe you should make her pancakes, everyone enjoys those.”

She laughed over the dial tone, Emily finally rolling over at looking at her through bleary eyes. Lena grimaced, smiling apologetically. “Sorry about that luv, just talking to Winston is all.”

“Mm...” She groaned, stretching herself out on the bed and half draping herself over Lena. “What did he have to say? Do you need to go in again?”

“Just the opposite, I’m all yours today and tonight!” She leaned down, giving her girlfriend a lingering kiss before springing back to her feet. “Now you stay right there and keep on sleepin’, I’m gonna whip something up to celebrate!”

“Alright pet, you have fun...” With her head sinking into the pillow and already falling asleep again she mumbled, “Just please don’t burn down the kitchen again...”

 

After a reasonably non-eventful cooking session, minor smoke panic notwithstanding, Lena sat with her legs crossed at the end of the bed, a plate of slightly burnt pancakes in front of her and a plate of almost perfect pancakes in front of Emily. The two of them ate in relative silence, the only sounds exchanged between them small moans of delight at the flavor and the resulting giggles every time they noticed it happen.

“So luv,” Lena said, “What’ve I been missing while I’ve been out at the office?”

Emily waved her fork, a thin trail of syrup falling to her plate. “Not much at all, just the usual. Seeing regular patients, introducing myself to new ones.” She smiled, looking down at her plate. “I think a handful of them are really starting to trust me.”

“That’s great Em!” Lena shuffled forwards, their knees bumping together while their syrup coated plates balanced precariously. “Once they let you in it’s only a matter of time till they’re all good again yeah?”

Emily smiled, though it had a tint of melancholy to it this time. “You know just as well as I do that’s not how it works Lena. All I can really do is be there for them whenever they need me to be, however it is they need me to do that.”

“Well, if I can say so I think that there’s no one better that they could get for the job.” She leant in, pressing a kiss to Emily’s lips that tasted of syrup and strawberries, grinning at the way Emily’s eyes lidded and her breath shuddered. “Though I hope that you’re keeping our method of healing a touch more exclusive than the others.”

“Hmm, that depends…” She smirked, eyes narrowed deviously, “Have _you?_ ”

Lena clicked her tongue, giggling, “Touché Em.”

“But what about you my little mischief maker? How’s...” She froze, looking around the room suddenly. It was a few seconds before Lena realized what she was looking for.

“Don’t worry, Sombra’s been scanning pretty regularly. No bugs in here, or anywhere near here.”

Emily relaxed, leaning back into her pillows. “I guess it won’t hurt to ask if that building blowing up had anything to do with you then?”

Lena didn’t reply, instead taking her time to finish off the last of her food and place it to the side. She wiped the corners of her mouth, inspecting her fingernails before she even began to think of what she could say. “Yeah, that was me. That’s kind of one of the things I wanted to talk to you about too.”

Emily moved her plate aside, welcoming Lena’s head into her lap and running a hand through her hair. “Of course, you can tell me anything, you know that.”

“It’s just… I know that what I’m doing needs to be done, that this is all a means to an end… But I can’t help but feel like I’m starting to slip.” Lena reached up, taking one of Emily’s hands and squeezing it for strength. “I killed a man yesterday, an unarmed man, because he was making these bombs that looked like pills. It was just… I couldn’t stand someone like that still getting to breath the same air as all the other good people you know?”

“That’s understandable, without condoning it or condemning it, I can say that it’s understandable.” Emily ran a finger along her knuckled, taking her time smoothing over each one. “But I feel like that’s not what’s bothering you.”

“No, it’s not...” She shook her head. “What bothers me is that I fed one of those to someone we’d captured and then shoved him off to meet his mates. Then when he did I pressed a button and made sure nothing of him was left on the earth. It took a whole building down Emily, just blasted it down into nothing, there could have been innocent people nearby and I didn’t even think about it!”

Emily nodded, her hand growing pale from where Lena was squeezing it. “You’re worried that you’re going to get so obsessed with killing the guilty that you’re going to forget about protecting the innocent.”

“I’m not worried that I’m going to.” Lena looked up at her, eyes glistening and her lip quivering. “I’m worried that I _have._ ”

“Oh pet… Come here...” Emily wrapped her arms around her, pulling her head into her chest and speaking softly, “I know I say this a lot, but the fact that you still worry is proof that you still care. If I saw a report like I did on the news last night and you weren’t worried, then that is when I will need to talk to you.”

She pulled Lena up to meet her, looking her straight in the eye. “But I need to tell you that now you have a very serious choice to make. One where you choose vengeance, or you choose justice. They might seem similar, at times they may even be the same thing, but in the end, they could not be more different.” She leaned in, their lips crashing together with a passion and a desperation that only moments like this could bring out of them. “You are an amazing woman Lena Oxton, and I know that you will make the right choice. I will be here every step of the way, no matter how far you go or what you do, you will always have me.”

Lena nodded, kissing her nose before leaning back down into her chest. “Thanks luv, I needed to hear that I think. What do you say we watch a movie yeah? Something to distract ourselves until tonight.”

“Oh?” Emily raised an eyebrow. “And what is happening tonight?”

Lena grinned, shuffling about excitedly before getting up and pulling Emily to her feet. “You’ll just have to wait and find out, won’t you?”

 

Her answer came at eight o’clock, when Lena pulled her off the couch from their movie marathon and told her to get her coat. Lena consistently refused to tell her anything about where they were going or why she was so dressed up, but any questions she had on her mind evaporated as soon as she saw the entrance to their destination.

“Here? You’re taking us _here?_ ” Emily looked up at the entrance to a restaurant that she so often drove by but never dreamed of actually eating in, the price of the food too much to justify even on her generous salary. “How did you even manage to get a reservation here?”

“I called in a few favors.” Lena shrugged, smiling while she held the door open. “I’ve been away so often, and it hasn’t been fair on you. I figured you deserved to have a nice night out, just the two of us, no distractions.”

“Still… I would have been just as happy staying in and ordering a curry, you do know that right?”

Lena sighed, “Alright, you got me. Maybe I also wanted to be able to say that we’ve eaten forty-pound steak at some point in our lives.”

She laughed, stepping in and linking her arm with Lena’s. “I’m glad that we can be honest with each other, aren’t you?”

Led towards the back and taking their seats, closer to the back wall so that they could have as much privacy as possible, it struck Emily just how expensive everything around her was, from the paintings on the wall to the carpet at her feet. Even the wine glasses had gold threading around their stems, each glass probably worth what some people made in a week.

They were going to have to try very hard to ignore that not five kilometers away there was an entire underground city of Omnics living in poverty, but so far they weren’t being successful. Lena put it into her to-do list, whatever that meant for the future.

“I’ll leave you ladies to discuss your choices.” The waiter smiled a practiced smile at them, stepping away with a poise and a precision that stated just how routine this all was to him.

“So, what are you thinkin’ luv?” Lena flicked through the menu, scanning down at the myriad of items and their almost incomprehensible prices. “Because I’m still set on that steak if I’m honest.”

Emily didn’t answer, looking around the room at the crowd of celebrities and business people, each one of them eating a meal that most people in London couldn’t even dream of smelling, let alone in King’s Row. “It’s such a shame isn’t it? There’s no chance for an Omnic to ever get here is there?”

“Not without turning to crime and getting rich that way at least, and even then they might not get let in the front door.” Lena shook her head sadly. “I never really thought about it in Overwatch’s hay day but… I think I finally get it. Why so many Omnics turned to violence in the face of everything, not just the crisis, but everything after that as well.”

Emily reached over and laced their fingers together, Lena running her other finger around the rim of a wine glass. “We always look at those stories of people who made it out of the bad neighborhoods, who did well in school or lucked out by getting put into a movie, but what about all the others? All the others who got left to rot in a bad neighborhood surrounded by people who keep telling them that they’re nothing more than trash? The only way they can even hope to get the same things that the rest of us just have is by turning to crime, and given how we’ve treated them I can’t even blame them.”

“It wasn’t a choice for them, because there was never really any other option.” Emily nodded. “Not around here at least there isn’t. When the people meant to protect them don’t, they need to find a way to protect themselves.”

Lena huffed a bitter laugh, looking up at her lover. “I guess I kinda bollocks everything up by bringing us here huh? Kind of a downer after such a lovely day.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Emily ruffled her hair, smirking at the resulting whine of protest. “Unlike so many of these people you’re actually putting your money where your mouth is and helping everyone as best you can. You spent all yesterday trying to help people, and you’re probably going to spend all next week doing the same. After all of that I think you deserve...” She looked down at the menu, her eyes going wide. “Bloody hell, a fifty-pound steak.”

“Yeah, wasn’t kidding about that.”  Lena grimaced, unconsciously tapping her wallet. “We’re definitely not making a habit of this, that’s bloody well sure.”

“Lucky it’s just the two of us as well, I’m not sure our wallets would be able to take it.” Emily leaned on her hand, looking out the window. “It would be nice though...”

“You miss her already now too?” Lena smiled, pressing her lips to Emily’s palm. “She’d probably love to spend some more time with you too you know.”

“It’s more complicated than that though isn’t it? We can’t exactly bring her along on our dates just in case someone sees us. All it would take is one chance encounter and everything would be over.”

Lena nodded. “I suppose it would, yeah. But maybe we can...” She stopped, her head cocking to the side while she narrowed her eyes. “Do you feel that?”

“Feel what?”

“Feels like we’re being watched.” Lena looked around slowly, scanning over each member of the crowd before turning her gaze out to the street. ”I don’t really like being watched, so whoever it is can-”

“Lena?” Emily stared at Lena, who remained frozen while she looked out the window and across the street. She was starting to get worried when she suddenly laughed, smile growing wide and her eyes lighting up.

“Bloody hell luv, you’re never not dramatic, are you?”

Emily followed her gaze, squinting for a few seconds before she saw what Lena was seeing, the sight bringing a smile to her face as well.

Amelie was perched on the edge of a nearby rooftop, legs swinging over nothing and her coat billowing in the wind. She was almost invisible against the night sky, but they would recognize that beautiful woman anywhere, her eyes shining like a cat’s and her posture graceful even in the most ordinary of circumstances.

She raised her hand in a small wave, the two women not hesitating to return the greeting. Amelie couldn’t hear their laughter when she raised the glass and the bottle of wine that she had brought along with her, but their delight at her forethought was clear to see. “Enjoy your dinner you two, I only wish I could be there with you.”

“Well, I guess that’s one way we can have a date isn’t it?” Emily flipped open her menu, scanning down the items. “You do know some incredible people, don’t you?”

“Yeah...” Lena stared for a few seconds before opening her own menu, closing her eyes and sighing happily to herself. “Yeah I do luv.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Discussions of medical based assassination
> 
> Back again with another one, let me know what you think!
> 
> Tumblr as always is [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com/)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in the end notes! Also an important announcement!

“Not bringing Oxton along for this one?”

Amelie shook her head, smiling from her passenger seat in the jet, Sombra angling the aircraft away from British borders and towards Spain. “The two of them have been through enough over the last few days. Let them have some time to themselves.”

“And you’re… still fine with all that?” Sombra shrugged. “It’s not a problem with me or anything, but you don’t mind… sharing Ox?”

“Even if I only got her ten percent of the time it would be worth it. Besides, there are far, far worse people that I could be sharing her with.”

“Oh great, you’re getting the hots for the both of them now.” Sombra rolled her eyes, holding her finger up. “Let me tell you from experience that _that_ takes some serious work, you can’t just act like it’s all going to be fine, you have to make sure the both of them feel valued.”

Amelie raised her eyebrow, regarding her curiously. “Since when have you been involved in relationships?”

“I’m not bringing down the government twenty-four seven Ame. I have a personal life too you know!” She grumbled, “Not much of one but still…”

“Alright, enough chatter.” Gabriel spoke over the comms, still in the Talon home base. “I need to tell you who you’re killing tonight.”

“One of the names on the list no?” Amelie leaned back in her chair, tweaking her gauntlet. “Alejandro Fernandez. Is this one of the men who was involved with what happened to me?”

“He wasn’t involved in creating you no, but he did take advantage from the events surrounding it.” Gabriel sighed, “Gerard was a real pain in this guy’s ass, when you went missing his forces were the ones that were assumed to have done it at first. After Gerard’s death… Well, he wasted no time in making sure that the world knew that it was in a little more danger.”

“My memories of that time are… fuzzy to say the least. Can you remind me of what he did?”

“Any locations that Gerard had deployed soldiers was attacked, only one in five Overwatch troopers making it out each time. Prominent people that Gerard had been involved in rescuing started waking up with their throats cut, or their families gone missing. He used you in a few of the jobs, before you were reprogrammed again.”

Amelie’s eyes hardened, her fist clenching and her teeth sinking into her lip. “Ah. A very bad man then.”

“Very.” He paused. “I want you to know that this all went on before I was at Talon, if I had been there… I wouldn’t have allowed you to be used to dismantle Gerard’s legacy like that.”

“I know. But you would have still used me.” She chuckled at the heavy silence, “That is not a condemnation, it is merely in your nature. You were taught to use every tool at your disposal no?”

“Yeah… but that doesn’t make it any better does it?”

“I suppose not. But that isn’t the point of all this is it?” She flicked a finger across the screen, staring at the scarred face of her target. “We are not here to build something better. We are here to tear down something horrible.”

“Building isn’t something that we’re made to do,” Sombra said, “Other people can take care of that, we just need to tear everything down to the foundations first.”

“Well then…” Amelie sat back, watching the map as they approached the Spanish border. “Let’s take out a brick or two.”

 

She dropped one mile away from Alejandro’s mansion, acres of empty land patrolled by countless guard patrols and under surveillance by thermal sensors, and assuming that an intruder managed to make it all the way past that there were automated turrets and a security force made up of the same men that protected the President of Spain himself.

All in all, not much of a challenge for her.

Her Widow’s Kiss was out of the question, as far as weapons went it was as good as marching up to the Talon leadership and telling them she did it. According to Gabriel Alejandro had been helping with the government’s recent trouble with pro-omnic rebels, a group using outdated military hardware to avoid being tracked by prying eyes. Holding weapons that were thirty years outdated was hardly her style, but if that was the price of anonymity and a convenient patsy then she was willing to pay it.

The thermal sensors were no problem for her, a thermal layer in her fatigues little more than a formality given that her body temperature ran so low she wouldn’t appear on the screens anyway. It never hurt to be careful though, and in recent days she had come to enjoy a more insulating outfit. Unfortunately, those same sensors ruled out the option of killing her way through the perimeter guards, their fading heat signatures would be picked up immediately and the alarm would be raised in no time.

“Though…” She thought as she slammed the blade of her hand into the throat of a lone guard, “That doesn’t mean that I have to be gentle with them.”

Slinking through the long grass, snatching guards out of her path and leaving them to sleep through the rest of the night out of sight of their comrades, she made her way towards the mansion. Two hundred yards from the mansion was where the sensors faded out and the automated turrets came into play, though with a click of her radio and a second’s pause, they deactivated with a telltale purple flash.

“Thank you Sombra…” She said, looking up at the sky. Unslinging her rifle and attaching a suppressor, she made her way towards the side door, scanning the sides and the roof for any sign that someone may be watching her approach. Satisfied, she pushed the door open slowly, careful not to let it creak while she swept her weapon from side to side, checking each corner as she passed through. According to the schematics that Sombra had shown her, this would lead her through the guards’ quarters, hardly the best place to make an entrance but with their timing they had arrived just after shift change, meaning that the only occupants of the rooms would be those that were already deeply asleep.

Passing soundlessly through the doorway, she was greeted by a symphony of snores and the sight of a dozen rising chests. Making her way through, she had half a mind to let them be, but the reality was that she was supposed to be making this look like a rebel attack, and given how bloody their last engagements had been on both sides…

“Well,’ She said, raising her weapon, “ _C’est la vie._ ”

 

Twelve guards down, only thirteen more moving bodies to worry about. An open door and two squeezes of the trigger later, thirteen guards down.

Amelie stepped slowly, feet padding lightly against the concrete floor as she pushed further into the mansion. She held her rifle low, barrel pointed at the floor and ready to sweep up in an instant as she swept from room to room. Apart from the guards’ quarters, the mansion held twenty bedrooms, ten bathrooms and three dining rooms, the majority of which had never been used. Alejandro wasn’t the type to keep a family, or even company, but he was most certainly the type to give himself to vanity, and what could be more of a status symbol than a mansion that could house five families being kept for one man? The fact that it had been purchased and maintained with blood money was almost inconsequential.

Given that they had flown over three villages with enough food to feed half their number, a quarter of their houses having been burnt to the ground in the mistaken belief that they had been hiding rebels, four men selected and executed to serve as an example, she was quite looking forward to killing him. Even if she hadn’t been used by him to destroy what her husband had built, killing a man like Alejandro almost seemed like… common courtesy.

Stopping by a window and staying out of sight, Amelie took count of those that were patrolling the outside of the mansion. “One, two, three…” She counted them off one by one, humming in satisfaction when she counted eight on the outside. Evidently, they never assumed that someone would breach their security so easily, four guards between her and her target almost seemed… laughable. They would be revisiting that strategy of theirs in the future, with different clients. She wasn’t going to allow them the chance to give Alejandro any more safety.

Sliding along the wall towards the corner, she listened to two of the remaining guards engaging in a conversation about the recent attack on the villages. She wasn’t completely fluent in the language, but they clearly were proud of what they had accomplished, considering it to be a major victory against the morale of the rebels. Well, if she had problems taking their lives before, those were certainly gone now.

Waiting until the conversation ended and footsteps started advancing towards her, she knelt low and readied herself to strike. The first thing that greeted the young soldier when he rounded the corner were four fingers jabbing directly into his throat, a panicked wheeze leaving his lungs as he dropped his weapon and was dragged to the ground. Amelie mounted his back, forearm wrapped around his throat and her hand gripping the back of his head. With a sudden and tremendous wrenching motion, she twisted his neck downwards and to the side, cervical vertebrae snapping and his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

The sound of his neck breaking must have been louder than she thought, the guards partner sprinting up and rounding the corner, Amelie only just having time to pull the antique USP and fire two rounds between his eyes, dashing forwards to catch his body before he slammed into the ground.

“Sloppy.” She admonished herself, dragging the bodies to one of the never used bedrooms and leaving them on top of a rug that cost what one person made in a year.

Two left. Then it was just her and Alejandro. He hardly ever left his office, leaving two men posted at his door at all times. That would make an approach difficult, even if she managed to get in with no alerts all it would take was him screaming once to send the guards running. Which meant that she would need to kill them first without him knowing, twenty feet away with only a door to muffle the sounds of their deaths.

“Finally,” She said, “A challenge.”

Scaling the banister to the second floor, she held herself low to the ground, walking along slowly and making sure that she didn’t give her position away. Pulling a knife out of her sheath, she held it in a reverse grip, sliding herself along the wall as she approached the guards from the side.

All it would take was for one of them to look to their left, for one of them to decide that their view of the first floor wasn’t nearly as interesting as they were being paid to watch to reveal that The Widowmaker was approaching them with intent to kill.

Breathing once, twice to herself, she pushed her foot off the ground, sprinting forward and darting across them. She thrust the knife upwards, impaling the first guard upwards through his neck and twisting, wrenching his body forward and toppling over the banister down to the floor below. She threw her leg out behind her at that moment, her heel crushing into the second guard’s windpipe and forcing his breath out of his lungs, her spin carrying her around his back and the knife slamming down. He tried to scream when the blade entered his lungs, only a wet gargle coming out as blood starting to flood the narrow passages of his respiratory system.

Leaving the knife in his back and grabbing his head, she threw herself backwards, legs and chest making their way over the banister before she threw her weight down, his neck hitting the wood and twisting unnaturally, body going limp instantly while she put her feet out, the soles of her boots hitting the wall silently and holding her there. Amelie smirked to herself, grabbing onto the wood of the banister and letting his body fall to the ground, pulling herself up and landing gracefully back on solid ground.

“Now, time for the main event.”

 

Alejandro sat at his desk, reports on the violence of the region open in front of him and being perused at his leisure. He chuckled at the familiar names of the villages that came up, his example likely having served the purpose of showing that the rebels wouldn’t be tolerated. The fact that there hadn’t been any rebels there to begin with was irrelevant.

He shivered, the wind blowing against his neck and jostling the papers on his desk. “I need to close that windo-” Freezing, he reached slowly towards the drawer of his desk, opening it slowly and looking at the pistol concealed there.

_I didn’t leave the window open._

A boot shot into view, slamming the drawer shut and shattering his fingers. He threw his head back to scream in pain, gasping when a metal cord wound around his throat and tightened, pulling him clean out of his chair and to his feet.

He clawed at the cord, his fingers getting cut up in his desperation to get between his neck and the wire, but there was nothing he could do. Alejandro was certain that it was all over, when he heard the laughter.

“You foolish little man, do you know how easy this was?”

He recognized that voice, that accent… With wide eyes and a hoarse voice, he said, “Widowmaker? What are you doing?”

“Not Widowmaker, not tonight.” Her next words were delivered with such venom that they turned his blood to ice. “Tonight, I am _Amelie Lacroix_.”

“Lacroix?” He chuckled, sounding frightened in spite of his best efforts. “That fucking relic? That embarrassment? Lacroix was weak, we made you into something worth keeping around!”

“You made me into an abomination. You made…” She grunted, tightening the wire. “You made me kill my husband.”

“A necessary sacrifice for our goals.” He laughed, “You didn’t seem to mind doing it anyway.”

She didn’t speak for a moment, dragging him to the side and towards the vanity mirror that he kept near the door to his bedroom. “I’m going to put you in front of this, I want to look into your eyes while I kill you. _I want you to see me doing it_.”

Alejandro’s eyes bulged in his skull, the wire tightening around his throat and his airways constricting. In moments his face was going purple, blood pouring down his skin as the wire cut into his throat and through his veins, Amelie not moving an inch even as warm blood splashed up against her face. She never broke eye contact with him, not as the blood vessels in his eyes burst and the whites of his eyes turned red, not as his eyes rolled back in his head and his mouth dropped open in a permanent marker of horror. She stared into his dead eyes long after he had stopped moving and his blood was pouring to the ground, legs kicking weakly in his death spasms and arms hanging limply at his sides.

Amelie dropped him to the ground like he was nothing more than trash, walking over to his laptop and selecting every folder and file that he had regarding plans for rebels, collaborators and false flag operations. With three simple clicks they were all sent off to news agencies around the world, even if Talon reached ninety percent of them the story was still doomed to be told by someone.

“This is your legacy,” She said, spitting down at the body while she placed a block of semtex on his chest. “As a failure. My husband will be avenged, I will be avenged, and the rest of your compatriots will join you shortly.”

By the time the security forces got to the site of the explosion Amelie Lacroix was long gone, leaving only bodies and destruction in her wake. In the official report a rebel team of eight men would be named responsible, a reward put out for any information regarding their whereabouts.

It would never be claimed.

 

“How do you feel?” Sombra asked, concern clear in her voice. “Killing him didn’t… you know, bring up anything bad in you right?”

“I feel the same.” Amelie shrugged. “I’m glad he is dead; the region will likely be safer now. Maybe change could even come from those rebels. But that wasn’t the point of my mission, it never was.”

“Well, he’s dead now, that’s what matters.” Sombra chuckled, smacking her shoulder. “Pretty ballsy what you did with the news  reports, didn’t think that was your style _araña._ ”

“It’s not.” Amelie allowed herself a smile, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes. “Honestly, maybe you and Lena are rubbing off on me more than I thought.”

“Well, so far she’s the only one doing the rubbing off…”

“Stop.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Sombra smirked, turning on the autopilot and purring. “If you two ever want some company just let me know.”

She leapt out of her seat, Amelie not far behind her as she chased her around the jet. The two of them laughed wildly, enjoying a moment to themselves that Sombra had wanted for too long, ever since she had laid eyes on the somber French assassin that always seemed to have an undeniable sadness to her. To be chased by her, to laugh with her, to just be able to _be_ with her as a friend in that moment… It warmed her heart in ways that she hadn’t felt in years.

And for a little while, everything in the world was alright.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: General violence, a fairly graphic garroting scene
> 
> Time for another Widow chapter! It's been a while, but I figured Lena and Emily deserve a break from all the violence. Let me know what you thought!
> 
> Love you all loads, see you on the next!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No trigger warnings this time! Ya safe!

With the birds flying high, the wind cool and the sun bright, Lena had a hard time wondering why she ever left the base to begin with. Thoughts were quick to come to mind of a cozy little apartment with a gorgeous, brilliant redhead reclined on the sofa, but she supposed that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring Emily down for a night or two.

It would at least give Hana another person to speak to, given that Lena was almost certain she was going to explode if she had to reassure the MEKA pilot that yes, she did have a chance with Satya, and yes, Satya did in fact have a thing for her too. She had half a mind to just drag her to Satya’s room, throw her in and lock the door, wait for things to work themselves out that way. But Hana was her friend, and Satya definitely wouldn’t tolerate someone unwelcome in her room, so the only suggestion so far was to sip her Gatorade until Hana stopped venting.

She was on her fourth bottle.

“And it’s like, do I just go up to her and start talking to her? But that’s kind of shitty right, just starting a conversation so I can ask her out?” Hana wrung her hands together, groaning to herself. “At this point it’s probably helpless isn’t it? I’m going to die single and she’ll never know how into her I was.”

Lena stared at her for a long, wordless minute, mouth working in disbelief at the display in front of her. “Hana… have you _ever_ actually dated anyone before?”

She scoffed, “Duh, look at me. There were a couple guys in the league, a few of my friends in the MEKA unit, but that was different.”

“Uh… _how?_ ”

“They didn’t _matter_ Ox! I was too busy, or we thought we were going to die, that was just… I dunno, stress relief, it never lasted more than a few weeks. Satya she… she _matters_ , she’s _special_.” She frowned. “She’s one of my best friends, I don’t wanna fuck that up.”

Lena giggled, capping her bottle and tossing it back onto the table. “You really are in deep huh? Have you thought about… _telling_ her all of that?”

“All of what?”

“You pullin’ my leg? Tell her about how she’s special, about how you don’t want to lose what you two have as mates but you want to… step it up a little if that’s what she wants.” She placed her hand on Hana’s shoulder, kneading the wiry muscle underneath and working the tension away. “You’ve got this luv, trust me!”

“You… you really think she’s into me?”

Lena rolled her eyes. “Trust me Hana, if I wasn’t with Em I would be for sure working my magic on you, is that convincing enough?”

Hana laughed, trying to push Lena’s hands away to no avail. “You and me? God that wouldn’t work at all!”

“Wot?” Lena pouted, mock offense covering her face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re just so… _bubbly!_ I don’t think I could take it.”

“ _I’m_ bubbly?” She poked her finger into Hana’s ribs, smirking at the ticklish giggle she got in reply. “Compared to _you?_ ”

“Well, yeah. Two people like us, that’d get tiring pretty quickly huh?”

“I…” She cut herself off, taking a moment to really consider it. “Yeah I guess that would get to be a bit much.”

They laughed, sitting back and enjoying the sun shining down on them. In the last few weeks there had been an abundance of explosions, revelations, and more life-changing choices than Lena had ever needed to make in her life. She’d almost forgotten what it was like to just… _live_ , to sit down with a friend and watch the day float by, the share a drink and tell stories about what a disaster their dating life had been like, or the embarrassing things they had caught Fareeha and Angela doing together.

Hana wouldn’t ever really know it, but at that moment Lena was grateful to her in that moment, she had needed to just relax for a long time, and it wasn’t until then that she finally realized that fact.

“Oh, would you look at that…” Lena pointed over to the edge of the nearby cliff, a single figure standing alone and stretching slowly. “Looks like your girl’s come out to get some air.”

Hana looked at her in alarm, anxiety back in full force and making her clasp her hands together in worry. “Oh god, what do I do? Should I just act natural or what?”

“Well yeah...” Lena raised an eyebrow. “Do you think she’d like you more if you _weren’t_ acting natural?” She stood up, extending her hand to Hana and smiling. “Come on, I’ll take you over there and you can… well, you can do more than stare at her at least.”

Hana let herself be pulled to her feet, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly through her nose. “Alright,” She said, “I guess… let’s go and say hi.”

“Oi, Satya!” Lena yelled out, the architect almost jumping in shock and turning slowly to look at the both of them. She offered a simple wave in greeting, but as soon as she saw Hana her wave turned much gentler, even shy. Lena grinned to herself, if she hadn’t known before that the feelings were mutual she sure did now. “Didn’t expect to see you out here, what’s the plan today?”

It took Satya a moment to decipher what Lena had meant in her very fast, very enthusiastic greeting, but soon enough gestured to the gym mat on the ground next to her. “It is a nice day today, and it is time for my dance practice. Having something to inspire me while I go through my routine will improve my performance, it’s only logical.”

“Oh yeah? Sounds mighty good luv.” Lena clapped her hand on Hana’s shoulder, and instantly she knew that Lena had a plan. She didn’t realize quickly enough to stop her though. “You know, I’ve actually heard a lot about your dancing from ol’ Hana here, she tells me that you are just… you know, a sight to see!”

She ignored the utterly venomous glare that Hana was giving her, focusing on the barely visible, but utterly revealing blush dusting her cheeks. If Lena had a camera, she would have taken a picture. “You said that Hana?”

Lena cut in before Hana could sabotage herself. “She did! Matter of fact, she’s been telling me for _weeks_ that she wishes she could dance half as well as you, so I was wondering, friend to friend…” She stepped closer to Satya, being careful not to invade her personal space or do anything to make her nervous. Lowering her voice to a stage whisper, she said, “Do you think that maybe you could teach her to dance?”

“ _What?_ ” Hana shouted, blushing furiously and wanting nothing more than to hide away forever.

Satya didn’t have an audible reaction, though given that Lena could almost feel the heat coming from her cheeks and see the way her mouth was hanging open slightly in shock, she may as well have been shouting at the heavens, “Yes! I am very much into this woman!”

“Satya, I…” Hana groaned, “Don’t worry about it, she’s just being-”

“Ok.” Satya nodded, freezing Hana in her place and making Lena’s grin go even wider. “I think Hana would make a fine dancer, it would be my pleasure to teach her.”

“You… you will?” Hana tried not to look too excited at the news. _Tried_. “You don’t have to if you really don’t want to…”

“But I do.” Satya looked away, watching the waves crashing far below them. “I _really_ do.”

Clapping her hands together, Lena sighed dramatically. “Now as much as I would love to watch you two doing your thing, I’ve got people that I need to go talk to. I’ll just… leave you to it.” She bowed her head slightly at Satya, smiling gently at the thankful nod she got in return.

Walking past Hana, she punched her shoulder lightly, leaning into her ear and saying, “I swear to bloody god, if you two aren’t together after tonight I’m going to go into your room and cut all of your socks to pieces.”

She left the two of them to start their routine, the atmosphere awkward but not unpleasantly so. She had a feeling that everything was going to work out alright.

 

Stepping into the cafeteria and seeing Fareeha pacing back and forth however, she realized that there were _two_ new problems in her life. One, that her friend was obviously stressed about something, and there was no way she could leave that alone.

And two, they were out of apple pies.

“Hey Reeha, what’s up?” Lena pulled out a chair, the loud scraping shocking Fareeha out of her ramblings.

“Lena! I...” She waved her hand in dismissal, turning back around. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing.”

“No no no…” Lena tapped her fingers along the table, taking a sip from her bottle before continuing, “I’ve been hearing that too much lately and I’m getting right sick of it. You tell me what’s going on and we can fix it, that’s it.”

She sat down across from Lena, taking a bite from her long-forgotten egg salad sandwich. She thought over what she was going to tell her, if anything, given that for as many things she didn’t have in common with her mother, her stubbornness was definitely something she had inherited.

Finally, she sighed, Lena’s puppy dog expression finally worming underneath her skin. “My mother is resting here, Angela told me as soon as she came in. I’ve been meaning to see her for the last two days but…”

“But what luv?”

“But what if she doesn’t want to see me?” Fareeha let her head fall against the table, cool metal against her cheek as she closed her eyes. “It’s been years, and she’s never made any effort to come see me, to ask how I’ve been… why would that change now?”

“Oh Reeha…” Lena leaned over the table, taking her hand and squeezing down lightly. “I know she’s not the greatest mum… well she’s pretty shit if I’m being honest, me and Hana have both said so, but it’s not like she doesn’t care about you.”

“But how can I know that? She spent so many years pretending that she was dead, and her being alive has changed _nothing_. I see her even less than I used to when she was dead, at least then I could go see the gravestone and think she was there.”

“I’m gonna say that there’s some silver lining here, you’ve gotten a raw deal and that really sucks, if she has any sense she’ll feel like absolute shite about that.” Lena shrugged, smiling cautiously. “On the bright side her hip was almost wrenched out of the socket when she came in, she can’t exactly get away from you if you wanted to go talk to her. Or scream your lungs out for how you’ve been feeling the last decade.”

“And if she just ignores me?”

“Don’t be like that, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be pretty open to talking to you. I’m _absolutely_ sure of it.” Lena grinned, the expression faltering when Fareeha narrowed her eyes at her.

“ _Why?_ Why are you so sure she’s going to want to see me? What did you do?”

“Uhhh…” _Threatened to break her leg if she didn’t._ “I didn’t do nothing luv, honest! I just think that she might have turned a corner after that last mission!”

Fareeha stared at her, expression as deadpan as her tone. “Uh-huh. I’m sure, you’ve never done anything impulsive before in your life.”

“Swear on my mum’s life.” _Who is dead and who didn’t get along with me anyway._ “Now you go to her room and say what you need to say, I’ll be around if you need to talk.”

Fareeha nodded, taking a few deep breaths and toying with the beads in her hair. “Alright, I guess I have no choice now do I? Thanks to whatever it is that you _didn’t_ do.”

Lena grinned. “That’s the spirit. Knock ‘er dead.”

She snorted, standing from the table. “I would prefer not to, I already spent nine years thinking that she was dead, I don’t want to add more to that.”

“You know what I meant, do you know where her room is?”

“Of course, I’ve walked up to the door at least five times now.”

 

Ana had always hated hospitals, though she had to admit that this was better than most of the field tents she’d been in throughout her career. What she didn’t appreciate was being told that she had to stay in bed for at least three days following her injury and having to endure the barely concealed irritation that Angela saw fit to show her every time she entered the room.

Not to mention that she had to deal with the knowledge that Gabriel was still out there doing whatever it was he was doing while she sat immobile in a bed in a base surrounded by people that were either angry or sad to see her. As far as punishments went, she had to admit she was very much not a fan of this one.

When a knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts, she was already scowling and making a small bet to herself; will this guest be one of the angry ones? Or one of the sad ones?

When the door opened and revealed the face of her daughter, even Ana couldn’t contain her surprise. _Sad. Very, very sad._

“Fareeha…” The name sounded strange on her tongue, and with dawning shame she realized that it was because she hadn’t said it in months.

“Hi mom…” Fareeha walked towards her slowly, pulling out the chair at her bedside and taking a seat. Of all the visitors that Ana could get, she hadn’t anticipated that Fareeha would be the first, she had assumed that resentment by now would have taken hold and turned any love she had held for her mother to hate.

Fareeha always was a better person than she had been.

“I know you probably don’t want me to be here…” That cut Ana deeper than she had been expecting. “But I needed to do this for… for me. I just…” She closed her eyes, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. “I just want to know _why_. Why haven’t you come back to me? Why did you let me think you were dead for so long? How could you just… disappear like that for so long?”

“I…” Ana trailed off, the sight of tears welling in her daughter’s eyes pushing any semblance of speech from her mind. Fareeha’s next question felt like a shot directly through her heart.

“How could you just give up on me like that?”

Neither of them could speak, the pain in the air covering them like a blanket. Ana fought for any sort of explanation she could give, but none of them seemed to suffice, none of them were what Fareeha deserved. It was with a heavy heart that Ana realized that was because Fareeha hadn’t deserved any of what happened, she was hurt in ways that Ana couldn’t even understand, and that was an injustice that she had been put through by her own mother.

“I… have thought about this day for years, when you come to me and ask for an explanation for my behaviour.” Ana reached towards her slowly, surprised when Fareeha took her hand. “I am so sorry to say that I… don’t have one for you that justifies my actions.”

“But, why then?”

“I could tell you that it was out of duty, but my duty was what I abandoned. I could say that because I saw an opportunity to help in a different way, but I could have done that back at Overwatch.” She closed her eye, emotions coming unbidden as she remembered the events of that day. “The truth is I… I was scared, and hurt, and _embarrassed_.”

Fareeha titled her head in confusion. “Embarrassed?”

“When my eye was taken from me… it was by a shot that no one else could have ever made. The greatest sniper in the world, and she is felled by an impossible shot, the bullet tore through my scope and through my pride.” She brought her other hand to her face, thumb stroking her eyepatch idly. “The last thing that eye ever saw was a friend that I had thought long dead aiming at me, and that pain and shock was all it took for her to almost end my life.”

“I know that you knew Widowmaker before she was… that. It can’t have been easy to see her.”

“She was like that before, I just hadn’t known it.” Ana almost snarled, that old anger rearing its head once again. “She played all of us for a fool, and killed the best of us, and now she taunts all of us with that knowledge every time she makes a shot. But I never thought any of that at that moment, all I could wonder was why my friend was back and fighting with Talon.”

She shook her head again, exhaling in frustration. “But that wasn’t why I left either, and even if it was that does not justify it. Not when there were people at Overwatch who were hurting more and pushed through it. Gabriel… Angela… But no one had it worse than young Lena.”

“Lena?” Fareeha widened her eyes in surprise. “I knew that they were friends but… were they really that close?”

Ana nodded. “They were, but that is not my story to tell. Regardless of how I may feel about the two of them… the past like that… it should only be told by those it involved. And that is not my place.”

They were silent while Fareeha though over what she had been told, about why her mother had disappeared. Ana waited for the moment that it clicked for her, and when anger flowed into her expression, Ana knew it had happened.

“This… this doesn’t explain _anything._ You haven’t given me a reason, an explanation, _anything!_ ”

“The explanation is that there _is_ no reason. I was embarrassed, and ashamed, and a failure. I had failed as a leader, I had failed as a sniper, and in my mind I had failed as a friend. How long did I have until I inevitably failed as a mother?” She slid her hand out of Fareeha’s grip, not feeling she was entitled to it anymore. “But through my actions, I ended up failing as one anyway. I suppose there is a level of irony there.”

“But you could have come back. After one year, two, five, I would have accepted you! I would have still _loved_ you like I had before!”

Ana turned away. “I feared… I _hoped_ … that eventually you would forget about me. That you would find someone who loved you, who accepted you, who you could count on to be there for you in the moments I couldn’t.” She chuckled, “I never thought it would be with a woman that I served with for so many years, but life has a way of surprising me still.”

“I could never forget you… not even now, not even if I wanted to.” Fareeha leaned forward, taking Ana’s hand and turning her head to face her. “Don’t you understand that? After _everything_ , after losing you for _so long_ … all I want is my mother back.”

Ana blinked, tears starting to spill from her eye as she said, “I am so sorry Fareeha, this life that I live has not been fair on you, and… and it never will be. But my place is out there, away from the rest of all of this. I wish so dearly that it could be otherwise, but… but it can’t. All we can do is enjoy what little time we have together.”

“But… I can’t…” Fareeha sighed, leaning back and pulling her hand away. “It really will never change will it?”

They turned at the sound of a knock, the door sliding open to reveal yet another ghost. Jack Morrison, with hair that had long since turned white and a scar lancing through the middle of his face that spoke of a long career as a soldier. Jack Morrison, with the rigid posture and neutral expression befitting one that had once been a commander.

Jack Morrison, with the distant look in his eye and the twitching trigger finger of someone who lived a war that would never end.

“Fareeha, Ana.” He nodded to them, Ana the only one to raise a hand in greeting. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Jack-”

“You weren’t.” Ana winced at Fareeha’s tone, bitterness mixed with hurt telling her exactly what she thought of their conversation.

“Oh, good.” He walked forward, placing his hand on Fareeha’s shoulder and squeezing lightly. “It’s nice to see you, but would you mind giving me and Ana a moment alone?”

She stood, shrugging his hand off her shoulder and walking to the door. She didn’t look back. “Go ahead,” She said, the door shutting closed just as she finished, “I’m done.”

Jack watched her go, turning back to Ana after giving her a moment to collect herself. “I take it things didn’t go well here?”

She sighed, wiping the last of the tears from her eye. “No, Jack. I fear I may have just lost her for good.”

“There isn’t much room in lives like ours for a family, that’s a truth I’ve learned and… one that I regret every day learning.” He crossed the room, taking Fareeha’s place in the seat and bowing his head in sympathy. “I’m so sorry Ana.”

“Don’t act like you’re here to check on me Jack, we both know the way this works.” She looked up at him, that same military indifference making itself plain again. “Why are you here?”

“Athena,” He said, “Executive override, Alpha Zulu, Designation 34-902.”

“Understood Strike-Commander,” Athena replied, “Erasing video surveillance.”

“How did the mission go?” He asked, settling himself in the seat. “Aside from the obvious.”

“It could have gone better.” She tapped her hip. “Gabriel still packs as much of a punch as ever, it’s nice to know some things don’t change.”

“Did it confirm any suspicions?”

“Well, I know for sure that Lena doesn’t like me very much.” She grimaced, pulling herself higher up the bed until she was sitting level with him. “She’s acting much more violent than before, even threatened to break my leg if I didn’t agree to see Fareeha.”

“Well, that is exactly what it would have taken you to agree,” He grunted, “That is strange coming from her though, she was always one of the first to want to talk things out back in the old days.”

“People change Jack, we know that more than some.”

“It could be raw nerves from our last meeting, she didn’t take kindly to us accusing her of being involved in the King’s Row Massacre…”

“We weren’t accusing her…”

“We were in every sense other than saying it outright, I’d say any lingering aggression from that is warranted. I still think that there’s something there, but we still don’t know anything concrete.”

“So what is our plan? Do we just forget about all this, let her run free doing whatever it is she is doing?” Ana leaned forward. “You didn’t see the state we left that building in, she blew up the entire side of it. The squad leader was painting every car in the parking lot!”

“And yet that’s still nothing new, that’s war,” He hummed, “We should still keep an eye on her, see if anything changes or if we need to do anything. This could be just a temporary thing, or it could be… the sign of a change. Especially now that Widowmaker is missing.”

Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a newspaper, Spanish writing all over the front page. Opening it slowly, he turned it towards her, allowing her to scan through each word. “Got some more news this morning, turns out a very old friend of ours was assassinated last night.”

“Alejandro Fernandez?” Ana looked up in shock. “He’s been killed?”

“Yep, the press and the government are saying that it was pro-omnic rebels who pulled the trigger, or hit the detonator as it may be.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

“Ana, I worked with these rebels a few years ago. They have heart, believe me, they have heart, but their skills on the battlefield…” He shrugged. “There’s a reason I left and didn’t go back, they were basically a lost cause. Now I don’t doubt that they’ve improved since my time with them, but I don’t think it’s feasible that they managed to improve to such a degree that they can sneak through a solid mile of thermal sensors and butcher over a dozen of the finest military personnel in the country.”

She nodded. “So you think it was a setup?”

“I think that someone wanted it to look like rebels. I think they picked their equipment, killed twelve men in their sleep and mopped up the rest all to avoid revealing who they were with a kill signature. Whoever they are, they are _good_.”

“What do you think their goal is?”

“Honestly? I have no idea. Could be wanting a win for the rebels, could be they just want to stir up trouble. Hell, it could even be Talon cleaning house. I don’t even know if this is someone we’ve come across before or if this is a whole new player in the game, but regardless I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of them.”

“The King’s Row Massacre, the Humanity League HQ being destroyed, now Alejandro Fernandez of all people is assassinated? These have to be connected.” Ana sniffed, “Lena delivered the bomber to the HQ, if these are all connected events then she could have a hand in it.”

“All of that depends on who the killer was, whatever their goal is could mean the difference of whether she is involved or not.” He inclined his head, speaking somberly, “It could determine whether she’s just been misguided or… if she’s a threat to everything they’re building here.”

“And what do we do if she becomes a threat?” Ana narrowed her eyes at Jack, making sure he knew just how serious she was. “I want you to explain exactly what you would plan for us to do, because there can be no misunderstandings about this.”

“We do what we need to do.” He stood, walking towards the window and looking out. Lena was sitting on the edge of the base, arm wrapped around Fareeha’s shoulders while she shook with sobs. He closed his eyes to get rid of the image, looking down at his feet and shaking his head. “God I hope it doesn’t come to that, I’ve lost enough good people. I don’t want to lose another, to her actions…” Leaning his head against the cool glass, his next words were only for him. “…Or my own.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go, a little look at how some of the other member's lives are going. Some good, some bad.  
> Will Hana and Satya sort out their feelings? Or will they instead stare longingly at each other for eternity?  
> Will Ana take a role in Fareeha's life? Or will she continue being a shithead?  
> Will Jack discover the truth? And if he does, which truth?
> 
> I hope you all are there to see!  
> 


	19. Chapter 19

Lena hated moments like this, where she was confronted with the reality that her ideas didn’t always work out. It was bad enough when it ended up badly for herself, but generally a bottle of something strong and a night curled up in Emily’s arms was enough to get her through it.

When it came to Fareeha however, she was drawing a complete blank. Her own parents had been dead for longer than she’d even known them by now, she couldn’t imagine what it was like to have been rejected by them if she gave them the chance to reconnect. But even with someone as incredible as Fareeha, someone as earnest and loving as her, not even that could convince Ana to accept her again.

If it didn’t break Lena’s heart, it would have filled her with rage.

“She… she doesn’t even _care._ ” Fareeha clenched her teeth, elbows on her knees while she heaved and grunted to stop herself from sobbing. “I poured my heart out, I showed her how much I wanted her back in my life, and it still wasn’t enough!”

Lena ran a comforting hand along her back, digging her fingers into the space between her shoulder blades, hoping that it would make her feel even just a little bit better. From the little sighs that she got in response it was at least a tiny bit successful, but it wasn’t nearly enough to bring Fareeha back from that emotional edge.

“Fareeha… you deserve a lot more, ‘m not gonna say that you shouldn’t worry about it because she obviously means so much to you but… you’ve got me and Hana, Sym and Zen are always around to talk.” She smiled as encouragingly as she could. “Luv, you have _Angie_. She’s been putting us back together for years, if you just go to her she can fix up that heart of yours in no time.”

She chuckled, the first happy noise that had come out of her in ten minutes. “Maybe… maybe. She’s been doing a good enough job of it so far, this would probably be no challenge at all to her.”

“Exactly, chin up Reeha! I’ve watched you dive bomb out of the sky and crash headfirst into a squad of goons like they were bowling pins. Ana? Eh, she’s nothing compared to that!”

Fareeha sighed, “I really wish you would just forget that story already, it was _one_ time!”

“Nope, never gonna happen. Especially since Hana filmed it, I must’ve watched it for two straight weeks! Maybe we should sit you down and show it to you as well, it might take your mind off everything.”

“Maybe, I could use something to make me laugh.” Fareeha stood, stretching out her shoulders. “Especially since Jack showed up today, couldn’t possibly have been a worse day for _that_ to happen.”

Lena froze, her eyes growing wide out of Fareeha’s view. “W-what did you say?”

“Jack, he came here to speak to my mother, he’s still up in her room.” She pointed up at the hospital window, Lena’s eyes catching the back of his head and that shock of white hair. It took everything for her not to start panicking, though after one stuttered breath that Fareeha raised her eyebrow at she managed to get herself under control.

“Wow,” She said, clicking her tongue in disapproval and activating her communicator. “To think that Jack Morrison himself would decide to grace us with his presence… did we really screw things up that badly?”

Fareeha snorted a laugh, shaking her head at Lena’s sarcastic tone. On the other end of the communicator however, Sombra was tapping keys with a sense of urgency she hadn’t had in months, assuming limited control over Athena’s systems to ensure that she wasn’t discovered.

“I gotta tell you _chica_ , you’ve got to give me more than a few seconds warning before dropping a bombshell like that. Jack fucking Morrison appearing in your base a few days after you blow some shit up isn’t exactly the best news!”

Lena shrugged at Fareeha, pointing up at the room and asking, “So why’s he here anyway? Did he just want to wish your mum well while she rests up in her hospital room or something?”

“Who knows?” Fareeha replied, turning and walking towards the edge of the cliffside. “It’ll be something to keep her from thinking about me at least.”

“Ok so she’s in her room, that narrows things down.” Sombra narrowed her eyes at the small error message, flexing her fingers while she started bypassing the protocol. “Looks like he disabled camera and audio, give me a few seconds and… there!”

“You really think that Oxton is involved in all of this?” Jack’s voice filtered through her comm link, his voice sounding so much more… tired than it normally did. “There’s no room for coincidence?”

“Jack, you know that we don’t believe in coincidence. If people that you have a grudge with start dying wholesale, I’m going to suspect you first, and nine times out of ten I’ll be right.” Hearing Ana’s voice at the best of times was an annoyance, to Lena and Sombra both, but with what she and Jack were talking about those feelings were multiplied tenfold.

“She definitely didn’t have anything to do with Alejandro’s assassination last night, but everything else is still up in the air,” He sighed, “We’ll keep an eye on her, any luck finding Widowmaker?”

“None, she’s as elusive as the day she took my eye. Finding her will always be a priority, in spite of Lena’s childish beliefs about her innocence.”

“We never did find out what happened there…”

“And I do not care what happened. I care about preventing it from happening again.”

Lena clenched her fist in anger, wanting to do nothing more than walk into the hospital room and bounce Ana’s head off the wall to try and shake her out of her arrogance. She figured that wouldn’t be the best way to go about things, and even if she wasn’t involved in something bigger it wouldn’t exactly do wonders for Fareeha’s heart if she suddenly started assaulting her mother. Still, she had to get out and warn Emily that things were going in a direction they had hoped it wouldn’t, and that was something that _couldn’t_ be delayed.

Which left her in the very awkward position of still wanting to make sure that Fareeha was starting to feel better.

“I’m working on some things for you now Ox, go and make sure the cutie’s alright.” As though she could sense Lena’s suspicions, she continued, “And no, I can’t read your mind. The communicator doesn’t do that.”

“Not sure I believe that…”

Fareeha turned to her at the sound of her voice. “Huh? What was that Lena?”

She straightened up. “I said… let’s go see if Angie’s back! Should be about time yeah?”

Her face brightened instantly, jogging ahead of Lena on the way to the medbay. “Well,” Lena thought, “This already feels like a success.”

 

“Ah, Lena, Fareeha, come in!” Angela looked up from her work, smiling widely and gesturing them in. “What good timing, I just started my break.”

“You know you don’t have to set yourself a time to take lunch right?” Lena plopped herself on the edge of her desk. “You can just leave the office and go do somethin’ else?”

“Maybe _you_ can Lena, but I take joy in my responsibilities. Someone has to be here to make sure you stay in one piece.” Angela pushed away from her desk, standing and pressing her lips to Fareeha’s. “It’s good to see you _liebling_ , how are you?”

“I’m… good,” Fareeha stuttered through her blush, “H-how are you?”

“Much better now.” She took Fareeha’s hand, starting to lead her away towards the cafeteria. “Lena, would you like to join us for lunch?”

She smiled apologetically, clapping her hands together and moving to the door. “Can’t luvs, gotta get back to Em and see how she’s holding the fort down, can’t spend too much time away from each other y’know?”

Angela hummed, looking over at a still blushing Fareeha. “That I do, give Emily our best!”

“Will do Ange.” Lena clapped Fareeha on the shoulder as she passed, squeezing down and giving her an encouraging smile. “You got this Reeha, you’ll be all good.”

Fareeha chuckled, running a hand through Lena’s already messy hair and shoving her through the door. “Make sure you say hi to Emily for me, we should go get dinner together sometime.”

“Yeah… yeah that’d be good.” With one final wave Lena ran off, wondering if her and Emily’s recent dinner guest would see fit to tag along on that one too.

She had to admit, she wasn’t counting Amelie out on that one.

 

“Smooth moves Ox, you’re getting good at the doublespeak.”

“Yeah well I’d prefer not to have to do it when I’m trying to comfort a friend.” Lena shook out her tired shoulders, leaving the ship behind that she had used to travel from the base. “I just hope I don’t have to do it when I’m at home.”

“Relax, that was the first thing I checked,” Sombra said, “No bugs on your apartment, no bugs even in the five miles around it. You’re good.”

“That’s a load off my mind, thanks for keeping an eye out.”

Sombra blew air through her lips, waving it off casually. “Just doing a favor for a friend. I’ll keep an eye on the soldiers too, don’t want them crawling up our asses when we don’t want them.”

“Top idea, please tell Gabe not to shoot them anytime soon won’t you?”

“Oooooh that’s a tough ask, but if you insist,” Sombra made a sudden exclamation, snapping her fingers and saying, “By the way, you have a special visitor at your apartment, just thought I’d let you know.”

Lena stopped in her tracks, digging her finger into her ear and trying to press down on the communicator. “You _what?_ ”

There was an audible click as the line disconnected.

“Oh you little bastard you can’t hang up on me like that!”

 

She took the stairs to her flat two at a time, legs burning from the dead sprint she’d maintained from the moment the call ended to right then, her chest heaving with labored breaths and her face beet red.

Collapsing against her door, she allowed herself a moment to breath, willing herself to reach for the door handle and throw the door open.

“Pet!” Emily yelled, running to the door and throwing herself into Lena’s arms. “About time you got back, I missed you all day!”

In spite of her feeling of urgency Lena still grinned, rubbing her cheek against Emily’s and squeezing her arms around her. “Hey Em, hope I’m not, y’know, interruptin’ anything.”

“Oh don’t worry about that, I was just getting us some drinks.”

“Us?” Lena tried to peak around the corner. “Who’s ‘us’?

“Oh please,” Emily snorted, “Like you don’t already know.”

Following her around the corner brought her face to face with a very casually dressed Amelie, hair let down and a loose t-shirt hanging off one shoulder, tight jeans replacing the usual business pants that she wore in her free hours to take her from “Off-hours business woman” all the way to “Indie bookstore owner”. But perhaps most strikingly of all the changes was the one that took the longest to sink in, which was the distinct lack of… blue.

It was maybe Amelie’s most distinguished feature aside from the ridiculous catsuit, to the point that there were outstanding warrants in three different countries based solely on the descriptor of “blue skin”, yet as Lena looked at her lover in plain daylight it was clear to see that her skin was absolutely normal.

Well maybe not normal… at any rate it wasn’t blue.

“Amelie? Bloody hell is that you?” She took a few steps closer, running a finger along an arm that was just as soft as the Amelie she knew, familiar blue changed to a pale white. “No offense but… you look _weird_.”

Amelie scowled, snatching her arm back and settling in the chair. “I am well aware of that, I don’t need the reminder.”

“Sorry, sorry! Didn’t mean to make you mad or anythin’ it’s just… _wow_ , you know?” Lena plopped herself down in Amelie’s lap, leaning back against her chest and sighing contently, “How’d you do it?”

“There is a recent invention called ‘Makeup’ _cherie_ , I think you may have heard of it.”

“Oh _har har_ , excuse me for being curious.” She looked between her and Emily, who was approaching with two glasses of wine and a beer tucked under one arm. “We’re both real glad to see you but… what’re you doin’ here?”

“Sombra told me about your… visitors, and I wanted to come and make sure you were alright. Hence the ridiculous outfit,” She sighed, “I feel like I’m to blame for their sudden attention.”

“What?” Emily asked, “Why would you be to blame?”

“I killed a very boorish man from my past last night, one who caused both myself _and_ them a lot of pain. It is not a surprise that it would also gain their attention.”

Lena screwed up her eyebrows, laying her hand over Amelie’s. “Why didn’t you come get me? I could have helped you out with it.”

“You were on a date, something that the two of you deserve greatly.” She shook her head. “And honestly… I think that you needed the time to yourself to reflect.”

“Reflect?” Lena tilted her head curiously. “What do you mean?”

“You have jumped very quickly and enthusiastically into something very much the opposite of your work at Overwatch. You’ve seen how it has changed myself and the others, I do not wish for such a change to happen to you.”

“Oh come on luv,” She said, popping the cap off her beer. “I’m not-”

“She’s right.” Emily sat next to them, placing her hand over theirs. “I’ll support you no matter what but… it’s been scarier than I thought it would be to see.”

“Em? What do you mean?”

“You’ve been so driven lately, and I love that, but I never expected to have you come home and tell me that you blew up a building full of people that never even knew you were there, then take me out to dinner as though it was nothing.” She shook her head. “I don’t think you’re a monster at all, and maybe the world is a better place without them in it, but I just… never realized how scary the reality of it would be.”

Lena hung her head, realizing that in all the time she had been focused on ending a threat, all the effort she had put into making sure no one else found out about it, she’d neglected to realize how it was affecting the few people that _did_ know. “I’m… sorry luv, I didn’t know…”

“I’m a big girl Lena, I can adapt.” She squeezed her hand reassuringly. “It might just take me a while, that’s all.”

“I wanted to include Emily in the discussion of what we do next,” Amelie said, “I realized that even though she is so selflessly opening her heart more than anyone ever deserves, I haven’t done much to repay her kindness. From the look on your face I can see that you feel the same way.”

“Yeah, you could definitely say that…” Lena took a sip of her beer, smiling at Emily and flicking her head to the table. “You want to do this now luv? Best to get it over and done with before we can screw anything else up, yeah?”

Emily laughed, “I don’t know if I would put it that way but… yes, let’s do it.”

 

“Alright, first off I wanna make sure that you know this isn’t your fault Amelie.” Lena reached across the table, taking her hand and running her thumb along her knuckles. “I’ve made enough of a mess that they were going to be on to me soon enough anyway.”

Emily nodded in agreement. “She’s not lying, subtlety isn’t exactly a strong suit of hers.”

“Well, that’s nice of you to say.” Amelie smiled. “But from now on perhaps we should all be more careful with the moves that we choose to make.”

“We should definitely do that considering that you decided today was a good day to walk to our front door in broad daylight,” Emily said, “Don’t get me wrong, you look lovely, but it was perhaps more of a risk than you should have taken.”

“I wanted to see the two of you.” She shrugged. “I couldn’t just leave that.”

“We?” Emily asked, “Not just Lena?”

“No,” She replied, giving Emily a small smile. “Not just Lena.”

Drumming her fingers along the wood of the table to try and distract herself from whatever _that_ revelation was, Lena brought their attention back to the matter at hand. “We’ve still got a long list that _we_ need to get through, and Overwatch has barely started at all on theirs, so like… what are we going to do? I’d love to take it easy but I can’t knowing how many of them are out there right now harming innocent people.”

Amelie hummed, looking down at her twitching trigger finger. “We are getting close to a number of the other people involved with my creation, it would be a shame to leave them free to do what they have been doing. There are less than five left, not including the other cells that we planned on taking out.”

“Well,” Emily started, looking between the two of them while she formed her thoughts. “Why don’t you leave the smaller groups to someone else?”

Lena looked at her curiously, already half ready to dismiss the idea. “We already gave a whole list to Overwatch and nothing’s being done with it. Adding more would just bog them down more.”

“I didn’t mean Overwatch,” She replied, turning to Amelie. “You have that hacker friend, Sombra, don’t you?”

She nodded, eyebrows raised. “Yes, I do...”

“Why don’t you get her to leak the rest of the list and see what happens then? I’m sure you two aren’t the only people that have a grudge to settle with these people.”

“Leak the lists to like, rebel groups and all that?” Lena asked, not quite believing what she was hearing. “What about the Talon geezers?”

“Those men and women deserve to be killed by you, I won’t argue otherwise.” Emily nodded to herself. “Kill them, but let someone else bloody themselves over the others. You two have already done enough.”

“Luv...” Lena said, a grin starting to form on her face. “You’re a bloody evil genius.”

“I know pet,” She replied, “That’s why you love me so much.”

“Oh, I can think of _a lot_ of reasons…”

Amelie stood from her chair, not bothering to hide her smile. “Well, as lovely as this is I think I should get going. I have a lot to organize in regards to our plan, both present and future, and I’m sure you two would like to be alone…”

Emily shot her hand out, grabbing her arm and shaking her head. “Don’t be silly, you should stay! In fact, why don’t you stay the night?”

“ _quelle?_ ” She asked, meeting Lena’s equally shocked gaze.

“Oh come now, it’s not that shocking. If this is going to work we need to get used to being around each other, don’t you think?” Emily shrugged. “Besides, there’s less chance of you being caught if you stay here, it’s only smart.”

“I…” She looked to Lena for support, only seeing a wide smile replacing her shock. “Alright, I suppose I can stay for one night…”

“Fantastic! I believe I owe you a dinner with the two of us, considering you had to skip out early on the last one.”

Lena jumped to her feet, following Emily to the kitchen. “I’ll help!”

Sitting back down, one hand with a glass of wine and her legs crossed in front of her, Amelie allowed herself a moment to just enjoy the place she had found herself in, the woman that she loved and the other that she was growing increasingly fond of busying themselves in the kitchen and acting like her presence was completely natural.

In some ways, she supposed, it didn’t feel any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! I'd say this is the start of the road to the end, but there's still 8 chapters left, so do with that what you will.  
> How are they going to deal with this suspicion? The targets that they have left? Is there a chance for them to come out clean at the end of all this?  
> Who knows? I do, but you'll have to wait.
> 
> As always please leave a comment if you liked this chapter, I always love reading through your thoughts!
> 
> Also I should say that I'm going to prioritize this story until the end, so there will be some delays on Task Force and the Hitman AU, sorry in advance for the wait on those!
> 
> Reminder that you can find me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter), give those a follow if you feel like it!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in end notes

Five days later the world had erupted.

The leak had worked, some would say a little too well, countless Humanity League agents and spies being ambushed outside their homes and executed in public, three of their headquarters being leveled with enough explosives to shatter every window within a square mile. England, Spain, even America was in turmoil, and there was no way to describe the climate in Dorado as anything except volatile.

“What the fuck…” Jesse drawled in shock, the volume on his television cranked high to drown out the distant explosions and gunfire. Though he was safe behind the thick walls of his house in the streets of Dorado for now, he wasn’t confident the security would hold up if a mob decided to converge.

“A city in turmoil today as yet another building is bombed.” The reporter stepped to the side, revealing an office building in downtown London aflame, windows smashed and the interior completely gutted. “Early reports are saying that this is yet another in the recent line of attacks against the Humanity League, a human supremacist organization with alleged links to both human and Omnic trafficking.”

“Jesus Christ…” Jesse watched the building still burning with horrified interest, noticing a silhouette barely visible through the flames. The censors hadn’t picked it up, neither would anyone who hadn’t done the things he had done, but it was clearly someone who wasn’t nearly as dead as they wished to be. He just hoped that it was someone who deserved it.

“Numerous pro-Omnic and rebel groups have taken responsibility for the attacks, professing their belief that they will, quote, only shed blood that is filled with hatred. Seemingly to corroborate their claim they released a list containing the names of reported undercover operatives of the league, including the identities of twelve local and international politicians. We are getting a report that all twelve have been assassinated.”

The image changed to that of a hospital, staff rushing around in a panic to accommodate the many new patients. “The death toll is reportedly in the eighties, so far there have been no confirmed civilian deaths, but over thirty have been hospitalized for cuts and bruises, some with broken bones. The number is expected to rise.”

He turned the tv off, tossing the remote onto the couch and running his hands through his hair. “The hell could’ve done this…” His thoughts traveled to Lena, the way her eyes had filled with hatred for their captive at the Humanity League building, her viciousness in kicking his head into the ground when she discovered the true extent of his crimes. She had been at the other headquarters when it had been blown to hell, had been _adamant_ that she deliver him personally to the doorstep.

It was all putting together a picture that was easy to interpret, but with a shake of his head he scattered the pieces once more. It was a puzzle that without concrete evidence he could not put together, and he wasn’t much interested in doing it anyway.

What he was interested in was the sounds of the mob outside marching past his house and towards the town square. Looking out the window confirmed exactly what he was afraid of, they were heading right for the HL building with placards and bats, some of them even with guns.

The entire reason he’d come here in the first place was to investigate the amount of people that had gone missing over the last year, men and women abducted from their homes in the dead of night with not a trace left behind. The common suspicion was local gangsters, maybe corrupt military, some even thought it may have been an Omnic revenge plot, but the leaked HL reports confirmed exactly who was kidnapping their people and for what purpose.

To put it lightly, knowing that their parents, siblings and children had been stolen and sold away was not a pain that one just shook off, and the only way they would be able to dull it was by tearing the person who had done it limb from limb. Those reports had given them a ‘who’, now they just needed to lay their hands upon them to do what they so needed.

His recent fight with the League though had taught him something that the locals outside had no idea of, and that was that the League was well armed, semi-well trained, and had absolutely no concept of what collateral damage was. If those people marched on that building they were going to be massacred wholesale.

Snatching up his holster and slipping it around his waist underneath his vest, he left his hat and serape behind in his haste to get ahead of the rest of the crowd. No sooner than stepping out his door though did he receive a call, pressing the communicator into his ear and answering with a gruff, “Yeah?”

“Hey _vaquero_ _,_ whatever it is you think you’re doing I’d think twice about it.”

He scowled, already sprinting ahead through the streets. “ _Sombra._ What the hell are you up to? Did you do this?”

Jesse could _hear_ her smirking. “I might’ve put the word out, but I didn’t do all of this. You’re running through a crowd of people who are about to do more of it too.”

He looked up at the rooftops, seeing the countless cameras used to spy on the regular citizens through their normal lives anyway. “Goddammit Sombra what the hell is your game here? Is this Talon?”

“Trust me Jesse, this is _far_ from Talon. Just think of this like… spring cleaning.”

“You’re blowin’ the goddamn world apart and you think it’s spring cleanin’?” He ducked into an alleyway, already knowing where the building was and the fastest way to get there. In his idle time he’d thought about going to the building himself and putting a bullet in everyone there, but he wanted to avoid a panic. Being that there was already a panic he was free to do what he wanted, but he wasn’t happy that it was out of necessity. Evidently, neither was Sombra.

“Jesse, I know my word doesn’t count for anything with you, but believe me on this...” He was shocked at the sincerity in her tone, normally chilled threat replaced with something almost resembling… concern. “I don’t want to lose my favorite drinking partner, just turn around and go the other way, we’ve got this one handled.”

“Yeah, who’s ‘we’? The old man, the widow? Are the three of you ‘handling’ this?”

“More than you can hope to on your own you idiot, just _leave this_.”

“Fuck that!” He kicked the back door to a restaurant open, running through the kitchen and warning the cooks to take cover. “I was there in Venice, I saw the way he handled things. I’m not gonna let him just pretend he’s doing somethin’ right when he created the situation!”

“Jesse…” She sighed, “If you come here you’re going to get hurt.”

He smashed his way through the front door, gazing angrily at the looming building in front of him. Pressing his finger as hard as he could into the communicator, he growled, “Then you’d better make sure you’re ready for me.”

 

No sooner had he kicked the front door open did he duck his head down, barely dodging a spray of panicked fire from an unlucky HL goon. Pivoting on his heel and spinning to the left he drew and fired in a single smooth movement, the heavy slug smashing through the middle of his rifle and burying itself in the center of his chest, the goon dropping wordlessly to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Jesse shook his head, blood pumping as the smell of cordite found its way into his nostrils, that familiar thrill of battle coming back to him after what had felt like so long. As much as he’d hated to admit it, part of him always liked when plans went wrong, it left no other solution except the most obvious, and he hadn’t gotten so good at shooting by plans always going off without a hitch.

Even from the front door it was obvious that the true battle was already being fought deeper in the building, the walls of the hallways peppered with buckshot and the floor covered in nine millimeter shells. Blood streaks from where people had either been dragged or ran away after being shot marked the wood, more than one door blasted partly open with a _very_ unlucky HL grunt laying in the doorway.

It was a sight that he had gotten very used to in his younger days, a sight that had been common enough after everything had gone to hell, which made him wonder just how it took him so long to realize that his mentor hadn’t ever been dead to begin with. The only difference was that with every other gunfight, every other massacre that he’d witnessed Gabriel Reyes take part in, this was the only one he couldn’t square away.

Why now, after all these years, was he deciding to give half a damn about what some low rent organization like the Humanity League did? What they did was horrifying, and to any person on the street they could be compared to the boogieman, but to people like him who had seen the rise of some truly evil organizations? The Humanity League was just a child’s imitation of Talon.

Maybe that was it, maybe when Sombra said spring cleaning she meant pruning the unsightly branches off the tree, exposing and erasing the ugliness of one head to draw attention away from its own. He didn’t dare think, or hope, for any other possibilities.

When two grunts burst out in front of him he was quick to act, aiming his revolver low and obliterating the kneecap of the one to his right, shoving his fist forward and breaking the others nose so badly that it was almost flat against his face. Grabbing his head between his hands, he threw the two of them together and snapped their foreheads against each other at full force, both grunts not even getting a chance to yell in pain before their eyes rolled back in their heads and they dropped. Jesse knelt down, ejecting the magazines and clearing the rounds still in the rifles, deciding that these two would be better off getting taken care of by the mob. Not for them, the mob was going to tear them apart, but it was better that it happen to those two than to someone innocent who came across the group when their blood was up.

The sounds of gunfire were starting to taper off, telling him that either they were surrendering or that they were all being killed. Possibly both, he wasn’t sure. Either way he couldn’t let it stand, more out of a sense of wanting to change than moral obligation, as far as he was concerned they’d forfeited their right to life as soon as they started selling people like cargo, but he wasn’t going to execute them after they’d stopped fighting against him, that wasn’t his call to make. Not anymore, he’d learned what that could do to your soul.

“Goddammit Jesse, can’t you take a hint?” He spun around at the voice, hammer cocked back and his finger on the trigger ready to fire at the slightest hint of danger. He didn’t relax when he came face to face with a visibly annoyed Sombra, he’d seen enough of her to know that unless she couldn’t move she was as dangerous as ever. Maybe even then.

Sombra stalked forward, taking no interest in the revolver that he still had pointed at her chest. “We have this, get out of here and try and stop those people outside from killing each other!”

“What’s that gonna accomplish? It’s just gonna be a few more dead bodies that you’ll give ‘em, you think they’ll be satisfied with that?” He walked forward himself, almost pressing the gun against her skin before he stopped. “You need to tell me what the hell is goin’ on, because last I heard Talon don’t exactly give half a shit about Omnic rights.”

Sombra took a deep breath, more to calm herself down than anything. She reached up, pushing his gun to the side and thumping her fist lightly against his chest. “A few of us are… making a change, this is the first step in that. That’s all I can tell you Jesse, that’s the truth.”

“Who? Dammit what _change_ are you makin’?”

She scoffed, smirking wryly. “Don’t ask questions that you don’t really want the answers to.”

“Alright you know what?” He threw his hands up, pointing back at the door behind him. “Whatever’s goin’ on in there, all your talk of makin’ a change means dick if you kill all those people. That is not how you should do things!”

“Oh yeah? Why not Mr. Bigshot?” She sneered, pointing back at the trail of bodies leading from the end of the hallway to them. “What’s the difference if they end up like that before or after we beat them?”

“Because you’re supposed to be better’n them!” His eyes were wide, remembering a time when he had to have this explained to him as well. “There ain’t no honor in shootin’ someone who’s already been beaten! That’s the line that separates you from them!”

She pulled her gun up to his eye level, Jesse barely resisting the instinct to shoot her when he saw she was just pointing to the side of it. “You see this ‘T’ on the side of the gun Jesse? That’s means that there isn’t a line between us and them, as of right now, I still _am_ them. We’re not trying to be better people, we just want there to be less of us out there.”

“Then this whole mission you’re on is _bullshit!”_ He yelled, “And if you can’t see that then you’re no more fit to judge ‘em than I am!”

He began to turn around to push through the doors, only stopping at her voice. “Jesse, this is your last chance. Stop, or you’re going to get hurt.”

“What?” He asked, holding his arms out to the side. “You gonna shoot me?”

“She won’t,” Growled a voice behind him, “But I will.”

As fast as he could, Jesse spun around, firing all five shots that he still had at the mass of black smoke in front of him, each of the slugs passing through the cloud harmlessly, his hammer falling on an empty cylinder as an arm materialized. His wrist was wrenched up into the air, the revolver falling from his hand at the same time as a shotgun pressed up against his chest, his mouth falling open in shock right before the trigger was pulled.

Gabriel’s shotgun blasted right into him, normally deafening boom muffled against the thick material of Jesse’s vest and sending him crumpling down to the ground, knees curling up to his stomach and his eyes filling with tears from the pain. Jesse tried to speak, only succeeding in pushing out tiny groans of air and pain, every nerve in his body lighting up and screaming at him all at once.

“If you ever listen to me once more, just let it be now.” Gabriel grabbed Jesse’s collar, pulling him up to his face. “ _Stay. Down._ ”

“J-Jesus Christ…” Jesse gasped, falling back down when he was released. “I think you broke a rib.”

“I probably broke three,” He replied, picking up the fallen revolver and tossing it down the hallway. “When you can move just drag yourself to a doctor, you’re in no shape to do anymore fighting.”

Jesse lay still, not having much choice in the matter, watching as Gabriel turned and started to walk back. “What… the hell are you doin’ Gabe? You goin’ full vigilante now?” He chuckled, groaning at the pain in his chest, “Thought that was my job down here?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” He replied, stopping and thinking for a second. “Actually, maybe you would, but I’m not going to tell you. The less you know, the better.”

“Ha…” Jesse laughed, “Just like old times, never thought back then that you’d actually shoot me though.”

Gabriel allowed himself a small smile at that. “Guess we’re both full of surprises then.” He knelt, tilting his head in curiosity. “How long have you known it was me?”

Jesse blew air between his lips, “You think I’m stupid boss? I’ve known for the last four years, the shotguns were almost enough of a giveaway.”

“What tipped it over?”

He grinned up at Gabriel, something approaching pride shining in his eyes in spite of everything. “The fact that no matter how many times we shot you, you just kept on comin’ back. I’ve only known one man to be able to do that.”

“...Why didn’t you tell anyone else who I was?”

Jesse shrugged. “Protection.”

“For me? Or for you?”

“For _them_ ,” Jesse said, “Can you imagine what it would do to them if they found out you were… this? You imagine what it would do to Fareeha? To Reinhardt? To see the man that they knew and loved turned into somethin’ monstrous?”

“You weren’t around when it happened, neither were they. The only people that do know what really happened are either dead or… well, something else.”

Jesse spat onto the ground, noticing that the fact that he was spitting up blood wasn’t usually a good sign. “I take it you’re not gonna explain what happened anytime soon?”

“No.” He shook his head, standing back up. “What’s done is done, no point in thinking about it.”

“Oh Christ,” Jesse said, speaking to Gabriel’s back as he walked away. “You looked in a mirror lately? That’s all you do! All three of you, all you do is obsess over the past! The rest of us just have to deal with it! And here I am, buckshot in my vest because you refuse to play by anyone’s rules! Again!”

“That’s right kid.” Gabriel pushed open the door, letting it fall shut behind him. “Maybe one day you won’t have to worry about that.”

 

In the main office, not to far from where Jesse was picking himself up and limping away to a doctor, Sombra sat in an overstuffed office chair, keyboard in front of her as she cracked into the main server like it was nothing. Going by her bored expression, that’s exactly what it was.

“It’s such a pain being the best,” She said, winking at Amelie and snorting when she rolled her eyes. “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t feel the same way.”

“Of course I do,” She replied, “I’m just not as vocal about it.”

Sombra smirked, speaking under her breath. “Not what I’ve heard…”

“T-there’s still time for you to leave…” The head of the local chapter shivered from where he’d been tied to his chair, the windows giving him a clear view of the angry mob outside just itching to tear him limb from limb. Between them and the three psychopaths behind him, he didn’t know which to be afraid of more.

“Shh…” Gabriel walked in front of him, holding his hand out towards the crowd. Even though they couldn’t see him, the glass being reflective from the outside, they could seemingly sense someone standing and watching them, bottles and rocks being thrown at the glass in an attempt to break it.

“You see all those people out there Francisco?” He asked, grabbing his neck and angling it down to look at the crowd. “Every single one of them is out there looking for your blood, and it’s only a matter of time until they get it. I suggest you get comfortable with that.”

“Hey boss! Stop terrorizing the sadboy, I found it.” Sombra turned the screen, spreadsheet after spreadsheet popping up until it was impossible to see anything else. “I copied them all over, we’re done here.”

Gabriel grinned, nodding at her to wrap things up. He laid his hand on Francisco’s shoulder, leaning in and speaking into his ear, “You know what anger is? What _real_ anger is? It’s when you take something important to someone away, when you strip apart any reason for them to remain civil and see what gets left behind.” He swept his hand over the crowd, countless rocks still cracking against the glass. “You took what was important away from these people, and now you’ve got everyone in a frenzy to make you feel that same pain. By the time they’re through with you… there’ll be nothing left.”

“Please…” He looked at each of them desperately, trying to find some way out. “I… I have money, lots of it! It’s all yours, just don’t… don’t kill me.”

Amelie rolled her eyes. “It’s always about money isn’t it? You don’t have any principles, not even ones as reprehensible as hatred, just greed. I spent enough time working under people like you, and I will gladly see you all wiped from the earth.”

Francisco’s eyes went wide in horror, a terrified scream ripping from his lungs as Gabriel picked him up effortlessly, pivoting and slamming him against the reinforced glass with all his might. The thick sheet cracked from the force, Francisco crashing three more times into the unforgiving surface before it finally gave and shattered, sending him flying out and plummeting three stories into the frenzied crowd.

With the way they descended on him with all the ferocity of a shark sensing blood, if the window or the fall had not killed him he didn’t live very long afterwards.

Gabriel hummed to himself, watching the proceedings for a moment before turning on his heel and marching back to the other two. “Let’s get out of here, that’ll distract the crowd for a while at least.”

“And the cowboy?” Amelie asked, “Don’t you wish to see to him?”

He shook his head. “Nah, he doesn’t need the help, and he wouldn’t want it anyway. We got what we came for, let’s just get going.”

 

Back in the ship in the skies above Dorado, they could finally let themselves relax, the autopilot on and the their feet stretched out in front of them. Amelie clicked her tongue, looking over at Gabriel and asking, “What was the point of my being there? I hardly killed anyone, and you didn’t need support…”

“Ana and Jack are probably trying to find out where you are right now, if something leaked that showed you were seen around Dorado that might throw them off. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time you would have taken money for a job like this.”

She nodded, satisfied. “What exactly were we looking for here?”

Sombra leaned back in her chair, bringing up a display of the documents she had taken. “Dorado was the main hub for their trafficking operations, every financial or product listing went through their systems and made a backup for ease of archiving.” She flipped through, hundreds of names from the last few years passing before their eyes. “A lot of them are probably dead by now but… there might be some that are still alive and fighting, some of them were taken as little as four days ago.”

Amelie made a small noise of understanding. “You wish to give this list to the rebels as well, to see if they can help find what has been lost.”

“Damn straight. They’ve spent the last three days shooting and blowing everything up, maybe here there’s a chance to _help_ someone, not just make themselves another group we have to take care of eventually.”

“It would be nice to not have to go on another mission after this,” Amelie said, “Hopefully they take the reasonable option we’re giving them.”

“In my experience the best way to stop people fighting is to stop making them _need_ to fight.” Gabriel cracked his knuckles, settling his head back for a sleep. “People kill Omnics everyday, no shit some of them have gotten tired of it and started striking back. Hell, if things had gone a different way I might’ve been in one of those groups right now instead of with Talon.”

“And yet,” Sombra said, spinning back around to the console. “Here we are.”

“Yes…” Amelie whispered, thoughts on the two women waiting for her back in London. One exactly who she wished she still _was_ , and the other she feared was turning into what she _is_. “Here we are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Descriptions of explosives/extremist acts, allusions to human trafficking.
> 
> 20 down, 7 more to go! Hope you stick around till the very end!  
> If you liked this definitely leave a comment and share it around, and you can also follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter).
> 
> See you next time!


	21. Chapter 21

“Have you spoken to her yet?”

Lena turned her head at Amelie’s voice, the two of them alone in the flat since Emily had left to take care of some errands. It was the first sentence either of them had said in hours, both glad to just have a day to themselves since they had fully handed things over to the other groups to do what they wished with.

She shook her head at the question, setting her beer down on the table and laying herself down. “What you mean?”

“It’s obvious that you’ve been wanting to ask Emily something for the last few weeks, ever since I started watching you.” Amelie crossed her legs, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. “Knowing how… animated you can be, I’m surprised you haven’t already asked her yet.”

“Oh.” Lena blushed furiously, realizing exactly what Amelie was talking about even if she didn’t fully realize it herself. “Well y’see… uh… it hasn’t been a good time to talk about that sorta thing.”

“To talk about…?” Amelie trailed off, narrowing her eyes at Lena’s blush and searching for a reason for it. “I don’t understand, what do you have to be so embarrassed… oh.” Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open in shock for a second before she covered it with her hand. “I see.”

“What? What do you see?” Lena chuckled, trying to play off how nervous the subject made her. “You uh… you want a beer, or a wine or somethin’?”

Amelie didn’t answer at first, watching Lena get up and scurry towards the kitchen, snapping to attention and yelling, “Wine! And then we are going to talk about this!”

Returning with a glass of wine for Amelie and another two beers for herself, Lena sunk down into her chair and tried to hope that Amelie would forget all about their upcoming conversation if they just continued drinking. Unfortunately for her, it was not to be, after Amelie briefly raised an eyebrow at the choice of wine she slipped her leg off the other and leaned forward, hands clasped together.

“You… want to ask her to marry you, don’t you?”

Lena avoided her gaze, voice low when she replied, “Yes.”

“Then why haven’t you? It’s clear that the two of you are in love, maybe more than anyone I’ve seen in the last few years.” She took Lena’s hand, running her thumb over her knuckles. “What is stopping you?”

“Honestly luv?” Lena looked back at her, a small smile dancing on her lips. “It’s you.”

“ _Quoi?_ Why would I be stopping you? Surely you know I want the two of you to be happy.”

“We know that, and I was all set to ask her a few weeks ago… but…” Lena pulled Amelie’s hand up, rubbing her cheek along the palm. “Then you came back to me, came back to _us_ , and… suddenly it didn’t feel completely right to me.”

Noticing the shock on Amelie’s face, she threw her hands up and rushed to clarify. “Not because I want to leave her, god nothing like that! I just… I don’t want you to feel like I’m choosing her over you, just because she’s the only one I can marry.”

“Lena…” Amelie shook her head, smile watery and hand tapping against her knee. “You really are a sweet, little idiot aren’t you?”

“Well… not the worst thing I’ve been called but…”

“I would never want you to not marry the woman you loved because of our connection. Emily has done too much for me, for _us_ to be denied that.” She looked down at her hand, twisting the spot on her finger where a wedding ring would have sat. “I was already married once, and part of my heart still belongs to him, I think… I think that should be how it remains, to honor him.”

Lena followed her eyes to her finger, grimacing. “I saw that you weren’t wearing one and… I didn’t want to ask but…”

“I do not know where it is. I assume that one of the people we are seeking to kill has it as a mark of pride, some proof that they killed the man who had been such a thorn in their side for so long.” She shrugged, sitting back in her chair and picking up her glass of wine. “It does not matter, it was only a ring. The true meaning of our time together… I carry that in something far more precious to me.”

“A briefcase?”

She laughed, “ _Non,_ my heart.”

“That… that sounds lovely Ame,” Lena chuckled, “But it’s also one of the cheesiest things that I’ve heard you say.”

Amelie rolled her eyes. “I am certain that you are just begging to make some joke about the French and cheese…”

“Oi!” She said, holding her finger up in protest. “Don’t think you can read me like that!”

“Oh? And you were not planning to do that?”

Lena sat back slowly, scowling with her eyes narrowed. “I’m not tellin’.”

 

Not long after their little chat about the future Emily walked through the front door, Lena blinking over towards her to take some of the groceries from her arms. Lena had agreed to cook that night, which meant they needed to buy twice as many ingredients as a precaution. She insisted that she wasn’t _that_ bad at cooking, but even she knew the truth was very much the opposite. What food she could produce both Emily and Amelie found absolutely delicious, it was just a bumpy road getting to a finished product, without that snag they would suggest that she open a restaurant of her own.

While the other two were busy in the kitchen, Lena preparing to start cooking and Emily preparing to clean up after her, Amelie slipped into the bathroom. Preparing the makeup and the wig Gabriel had made, she changed bit by bit over the next twenty minutes from Amelie Lacroix into Danielle Guillard, a recluse living off the coast of Annecy. Anyone, even those that knew her, would look at her leaving the apartment and think nothing other than some mild thoughts about the kinds of ‘Guests’ Lena and Emily were having over.

Slipping out while they were occupied after leaving them a note, Amelie made her way down the stairs and out onto the streets. She despised having to cover her appearance up, a trait that had carried over even after her memories had been recovered. She figured that if that was how she looked now, if there was no way to revert it then it was just her new body, and given that it was _her_ body she didn’t much like the idea of being _forced_ to cover it.

Still, she was proud, not a fool, she knew that blue skin was more of a giveaway than anything else that she could think of. One bystander with no manners and a camera could record her walking through the streets and within minutes the whole world would know where she was. So rather than risk discovery as Amelie, she could find anonymity as Danielle, just another stunningly beautiful woman out for a stroll to her local cafe, neither of which were in short supply in London.

Sitting down in a booth right at the back of the cafe, making sure she was alone on both sides, she made herself look busy while she waited for her acquaintance. Soon enough, with a flash of purple and a giggled greeting, the seat in front of her had someone sitting in it, checking their fingernails and smirking at her long suffering annoyance.

“What’s wrong _chica,_ you wake up on the side instead of the middle this morning?”

Amelie scowled, reaching over to slap the side of Sombra’s head before she put her hands up, shaking her hands and apologizing.

“Hey, I’m sorry alright? Touchy today or something?”

“You could… say that.”

“Yeah?” Sombra leaned forward on her hand, cheek squished in her palm. “You wanna talk about it? Or do you just want to get to telling me what you want me to do?”

Amelie sighed, ordering a coffee and checking her watch. “I don’t have enough time to tell you the whole story but… obviously you know I was married, no?”

“Obviously. We’ve talked about it a lot.”

“Then it is strange that I don’t have a wedding ring, don’t you think?” Amelie raised her right hand, wiggling her ring finger and letting it fall back to the surface of the table. “One of those pigs in charge has them, and I wish to have them back. Both mine and… and Gerard’s.”

Sombra didn’t joke, or tease, or prod like she normally would have. When she saw the steel that Amelie’s face had turned to she only reached forward, taking her hands and nodding, her own resolve just as strong.

“You got it Ame, I’ll have it for you by tomorrow.”  
“Tomorrow?” Amelie raised an eyebrow. “We do not even know who has it.”

“Oh trust me,” Sombra said, sneer already on her face. “I know _exactly_ who has it.”

 

Gabriel walked through the base on the way to Bartalotti’s office, glass walled hallways overlooking a full airbase and a legion of soldiers that most of the world didn’t even know existed. When Gabriel had first joined they were undisciplined, almost untrained, focusing on rushing the enemy and attempting to overwhelm them with sheer numbers and firepower.

In the seven years that he had been at Talon, the seven long years he had spent passing on his knowledge and demonstrating the extent of his skills to them, not one of them had resembled what he would call passable.

Maybe that was another reason he was so glad to be dismantling it from the inside, he was the man who had led the world to victory in the Omnic Crisis, led a crack team in Blackwatch that had a kill count bigger than some smaller countries had people, putting him in charge of this ragtag group of incompetents was an insult of the highest order. Sometimes he wished Akande was free, at least there would be someone else willing to terrify them into obedience.

Instead it was himself and Sombra who had to hold everything together, Amelie always off either at her mansion or on a private job, and Moira too busy doing… whatever unspeakable things it was she did. At a certain point, after the third team in a week had gone out with them and they had been the only survivors, Sombra and Gabriel had just given up.

Of course, given the windbag they had in charge it was no wonder that the average lifespan of a Talon trooper was five days, which was precisely the reason he was looking forward to scratching yet another name off the list. Since Alejandro had decided his arms were better placed thirty feet in either direction the rest of the directors had been scrambling to maintain order, all of them too shocked at the death to even take advantage of the opportunity to take over. The fact that none of them even thought of that just showed him how little they deserved their power.

He pushed the double doors open, walking into an office so ornate it shot right past elegant and crossed right into gaudy, gold accents on every item of furniture laid up against walls covered in artwork that had clearly been chosen for how much it had cost, not how well they complimented each other. For all Antonio’s faults, at least he had some taste.

“Reyes,” Marco said from behind his desk, not bothering to stand to greet his guest. “Please, have a seat.”

He shook his head, not bothering to hide his contempt for the meeting. “I think I’d rather stand if I’m being honest.”

“Suit yourself,” Marco replied, eyelid twitching for a moment before he smoothed his features. “I assume you are aware of why I have called you here?”

“Because your men are useless and can’t stay alive for five minutes?”

“As curt as ever,” He laughed, “But yes, it is… along those lines. I want to know just how it is that I can throw so many men and so much money at this problem, and it refuses to go away. Is it a problem with the resources or...” Marco leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at Gabriel. “Is it a problem with the builder?”

Gabriel felt a bolt of anger shoot up his spine, crossing his arms and speaking steadily, “The builder is the only reason your house hasn’t collapsed already, what do you expect me to do with the borderline circus you’ve given me?”

“I expect you to adapt to the circumstances, only a poor craftsman blames his tools.”

Gabriel shrugged. “I was under the impression that I worked for you, doesn’t that make me your tool?”

Marco sighed, looking back down at his desk and muttering to himself, “This is going nowhere…” He shrugged, gesturing to Gabriel. “What do you think can be done to improve them?”

“For starters you could hire men with some sense of discipline, any reject and disgruntled washout from the armed forces of the world just isn’t going to cut it.”

“I thought that’s what Blackwatch turned out to be? A collection of people that the world didn’t want?”

Gabriel scoffed, “I picked them all personally, I didn’t hire everyone. And if you’ll recall, that level of assured quality is the reason you no longer have a brother.” He smirked. “Surely you didn’t forget that, it is after all the only reason you are where you are now, without that you’d still be guarding diamond mines in Botswana.”  
“And yet without your failings in Blackwatch you would not be here.” Marco linked his fingers together, raising an eyebrow and flashing a smirk. “It seems that failure is a constant among some members of this organization.”

_Goddammit_ , Gabriel thought to himself, _where the hell are you Sombra?_

Out of the corner of his eyes, Gabriel noticed the number pad on the wall safe lighting up in various spots, purple flashes sweeping over certain numbers before vanishing. He stepped to the left, drawing Marco’s eye further from the safe while Sombra worked on getting through the code, all his energy going into not smiling as he thought about the fact that they were robbing Marco from right under his nose.

“Look, I hate talking with you at the best of times, I think that you are a sore on the face of this organization and it would be best served to remove you.” He shrugged, ignoring Marco’s visible shock at the pointedness of his insults. “But you bring in a lot of money and men, I can see why they keep you around. It would serve you best however if you saw to increasing the quality of what you give them, because as much as you want to shift the blame onto me, the fact of the matter is that I have more uses to them than you do.”

“Is that a threat, Gabriel Reyes?”

“Just a statement of fact. Akande, Maximillien, even Vialli brings exactly what you do in various ways, and they are capable of more. Hell, Max finds your net worth underneath his couch cushion every night, and he much prefers my company to yours.”

Marco sniffed, moving to stand up. “Thank you Reyes, that’ll be all…”

Almost able to hear Sombra’s heart stop beating, Gabriel flicked his eyes back to the safe to see it halfway open, contents bared to the world. He stepped quickly to the left, leaning across the desk and getting close to Marco’s face.

“Do you ever think about him?”

Marco recoiled, all attention on the giant man in front of him. “About who?”

“Antonio. I know that narcissistic assholes like you generally don’t care about other people, but surely there was some… attachment there. He _was_ your brother after all.”

He shrugged, visibly swallowing in nervousness. “Can’t say that I do,” He said, voice shaky enough to reveal the lie.

Gabriel grinned, leaning even closer. “Really? You don’t think about the moment that he must have realized he was going to die? The state he was in as soon as I pulled that trigger? Did you know that in all the chaos afterwards, they didn’t end up fishing his body out of the water until three days later? His body looked _terrible_ , but you don’t think about that?”

Marco scowled, smart enough to know it would be a bad idea to swing at him, but angry enough to consider it anyway. “No,” He lied, voice thick with hatred. “I don’t think about it at all.”

_Got it boss,_ Sombra’s voice broke through his communicator, audible only to him. _Thanks for the cover._

“Well then, if you don’t think about it then maybe there’s hope for you yet!” Gabriel leaned back, clapping his hands together and walking to the door. “You’ve lasted longer than your brother at any rate.”

He grinned as the door closed, muffled yelling and smashing filtering through the wood.

 

“Hey, Ame.”

Amelie turned at the voice, placing her sandwich down on the table and smiling. “Sombra,” She said, “I wasn’t expecting you to be so fast.”

“I told you, I’d have it for you in a day. I don’t lie about the important stuff.” She slid into the booth across from her, digging into her pocket and pulling the small box out.

Amelie gasped when she saw it placed on the table, reaching forward with shaky hands and resting her fingers on top of the aged lid. She could remember the day that Gerard had pulled it from his own pocket, extending it up to her while she almost bawled her eyes out. He had just smiled gently, taking all the time in the world to reveal the ring to her and ask the question that had changed her entire life.

To be confronted with all that right now, to see the box worn and faded from thirteen years of age, it finally hit her just how long she had been gone. “Thank you Sombra,” She said, pulling the box to herself and reaching for her friend’s hand. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“I think I can guess… but I don’t think I’d do it justice.” She tapped her hand against Amelie’s, smiling briefly before standing up again. “I’d love to stay but… I’ve got things to do. You alright to get home?”

She nodded. “I am, just because I’m getting happier doesn’t mean I’m any less dangerous you know.”

“Oh trust me,” Sombra purred, “I know _that._ ”

Amelie’s mouth dropped open in shock, before she scowled at Sombra’s laughter. “I will have you know that two people is more than enough for me.”

Sombra sighed dramatically, stepping backwards away from her. “And what a shame that is. _Adiós araña!_ ”

Amelie shook her head while she vanished, staring back down at the box for a moment before going back to her sandwich. “This can wait for a few more hours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some sweet moments, some bitter moments, that's the life they live though isn't it?
> 
> Only six chapters left! It's been a long time coming but we're getting there, hope you enjoy!
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter). Hope to see you on the next!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in end notes!

Gabriel loved the quiet moments away from combat, the times that he could sit back and relax while the world passed by for a few hours. He’d spent forty-seven of his fifty-eight years on earth at a state of war ranging from mild to world ending, such an existence had taught him very quickly to take the peaceful moment where he could, a lesson that he had tried and somewhat succeeded in passing onto Jack. A good lesson, and a lifesaving one considering that they were the only two test subjects who hadn’t either been killed in combat or decided to have a dinner date with their .45.

Maybe if they hadn’t forgotten that lesson… maybe things would have been different now. They could still have been protecting the world together, all three of them, they could have… they could have just _been._

Instead they’d let things get so bad that the only way he saw things could improve was if he brought the building down around their ears and killed all of them, that was just the world that they lived in now. So in the moments that he wasn’t trying to kill the two people that had meant the world to him, he was going to sit quietly, have a drink and let the world pass him by.

At least, he would be doing that if someone hadn’t insisted on intruding on his peace.

“Where are you on finding the two of them?” Marco made his displeasure with the meeting well known, sweeping the crumbs off his pants that had fallen from Gabriel’s hands. He was only succeeding in bringing more ducks closer to them, which meant that the amount of crumbs that got spilled on him dramatically increased.

“Jack and Ana are good at keeping themselves either out of sight or out of reach, that’s one thing that hasn’t changed.” He took a bite of his sandwich, pulling out a slice of cucumber and tossing it into the mass of ducks in front of them. “The second comes that I can take a shot, I guarantee I’m going to take it. Until then there’s no point even taking the safety off, I’d just be shooting at walls.”

“Strange, going by how you decided to resign from Blackwatch I thought you would enjoy unnecessary structural damage.”

“I also enjoyed trying to kill the people I worked for, so just remember that whenever we talk.” He picked up his drink, tipping it just too much and spilling a generous splash of his beer on Marco’s pant leg. “Whoops.”

“God _dammit_ Reyes!” Marco jumped up, startling the ducks around him and frantically trying to wipe away the mess. “Do you have any clue how expensive these pants are?”

“Shh…” He shushed him, sweeping his arm over the lake. “You’re scaring the ducks.”

“Ellara running to safety, and _I’m_ the one who has to deal with your disrespect…” Marco tossed the cloth away, standing still and breathing heavily to himself. “Sometimes I think I’m the only one who really gives a damn…”

“Where is Ellara?” Gabriel asked, interest peaked at the name of yet another one of their targets. “She leave you to clean up this whole mess with the assassins?”

“When does anyone else in this organization ever do their jobs?” Marco threw his hands up in exasperation, sitting back down roughly next to him. “Kozlov and O’Deorain stay in their lab, as irritating as I find you at least you have the sense to know the importance of having a strike team on call, what is everyone else doing?”

“God knows, everyone involved in operations who was competent either died or is in jail, Max could be a good fit but he doesn’t have the interest for it. Where did Ellara run off to this time? The safehouse in Greece or did she buy up more real estate?”

“An old classic, the oil rig,” Marco scoffed, “Not exactly recommended, any half competent assassin probably has that place on permanent surveillance.”

“So why let her go?”

“You act as though any of us have any say over where she goes.” He waved his hand in dismissal. “The most she listened to us was when we recommended she update the security, there should be thirty men on call if the perimeter is breached. Not that I would recommend a firefight on an oil rig but… if that’s what it took to secure the rest of our safety…”

“Ellara would be a loss of manpower and finances, but we could recover pretty quickly.” Gabriel nodded. “Do you want me to go there and keep guard for the assassins? Or… take care of another problem while I’m there?”

“No, I need you on Morrison and Amari, I think they might be sniffing around our operations too closely for comfort, not to mention the rest of Overwatch, I didn’t anticipate that they’d start attacking Humanity League outposts.”

“So it’s true, you were helping fund them?”

“Of course I was, they were a good revenue stream.” He smirked. “Unbelievably primitive, but they had heart. Just a shame that doesn’t translate to fighting ability isn’t it?”

“You know my thoughts on them.”

“Mmm…” Marco looked across the lake, the ruins of one of the Humanity League headquarters still smoking on the other side of the water. “Truth be told I was thinking about cutting them loose soon anyway, they were a liability that I felt we didn’t need. But Alejandro and Ellara insisted…”

Gabriel laughed, “You’re not a true believer then?”

“God no, I have a functioning brain. On top of that I’m also a businessman, the risk versus reward of the slave trade is… iffy to say the least. Besides, Omnic’s are as good labor as anyone else, it seems short sighted to not use a tool that you have at your disposal.”

“Maybe you should tell them that, bringing down Omnic’s isn’t what I signed on for.”

“Oh? I thought you of all people would be the first to jump at that call, weren’t you of the generation that saw them shooting children in the street?”

Gabriel shrugged, standing up and tossing the rest of his food to the ducks. “I saw that a few times, yeah. But I’ve ordered worse, I can’t let myself forget that.” He nodded his farewell to Marco. “I’ll stay on the ghosts, you just let me know if anything changes with Ellara. This organization can’t take another hit like with Alejandro.”

“You leave my job to me, I’ll leave you to yours. If anything comes up about the soldiers I want to know, I want to be there when you kill them.” Marco waved him off, staring down at the ducks gathering back around him. “And the next time we meet we’re not going to be in a park.”

“No,” Gabriel said to himself, back turned and walking away. “Next time we meet things are going to be _very_ different.”

 

“ _Cherie,_ please, it is not that much of a challenge to make meringue.”

Amelie smiled at Lena’s obvious distress, egg beater in hand and a white knuckled grip around the bowl. Emily wondered if she should insist on stepping in, but Lena had said she could do it on her own, as messy as it was she was accomplishing that.

“Easy for you to say luv, you’re not the one who the pressure’s on are ya?” Tongue poking through her lips, she continued beating the egg whites, only smiling when she saw a defined peak beginning to form. “I know I’m a disaster in the kitchen, an’ I’m gonna show you that’s not always true!”

“Your food is always good,” Emily said, stepping in to rub at Lena’s shoulders. “You just… make a bit of a mess sometimes… every time…”

“Well not today!” She replied, accidentally sloshing the bowl too hard and spilling some of the unbeaten egg whites. “...Shite.”

“Tell you what pet,” Emily said, “How about I take over for this next part, it’s not fair if you get to do all the work and I don’t.”

“Fine, fine…” Lena pouted, handing the bowl off to Emily and hopping back against the wall. “Can’t believe you girls don’t trust me with… Ill Floatin’ or whatever this is.”

Amelie shuddered at Lena’s butchering of the name. “It’s _île flottante,_ it’s very simple and very delicious. Also very cheap, so we can practice some other day, no?”

She put her hands up in surrender. “Fine, fine… I’ll go pick up some drinks to have with or whatever, any requests?”

“Just the wine I showed you the other day, it will go fantastically with this.” Amelie blew a kiss, giving a teasing wink after. “ _Adieu._ ”

Lena snorted, “That’s not gonna work forever you know, sooner or later it’ll wear off.”

“And until then I’ll have you wrapped around my little finger won’t I?”

“I don’t… I…” Lena blushed, turning around and flipping her middle finger up as she walked away. “Sod off.”

Emily shook her head fondly, beating the rest of the eggs and leaning against the counter. “You’re very mean to her, you know that right?”

“Of course I know that, that’s what makes it so fun.” Amelie poked her in the side with her spoon. “Don’t pretend you don’t like to do that as well.”

“True, true…”

They worked in silence for the next few minutes, both of them happy to just enjoy each others company while working separately. Amelie enjoyed cooking with company, it was something that Sombra and herself had done together often, starting from when the perpetually loud hacker had joined Talon and begun instantly complaining about the quality of the rations. After enough conversations and ignored dismissals Amelie had dragged her to her Annecy mansion and spent a day showing her how to cook a proper meal, under the condition that she remained quiet and never spoke to her again.

Granted, Sombra had completely ignored that condition, but it had all worked out in the end.

It was strange to think back to those days, when everything had been… muted, like her eyes had turned everything grey. Sombra had been the first to really crack through her shell, Gabriel probably had too much associated guilt to be comfortable getting close to her at first, given everything that she’d found out she couldn’t blame him too much.

But now she was back, not quite the same but… approaching something resembling peace at last, and she hadn’t even lost her two friends in the process. In fact she’d regained a lover, someone who had considered her lost and who she had thought impossible to hold onto, as well as the chance to meet one of the most incredible and understanding women that she had ever had the pleasure to meet in her entire life. And it had just occurred to her that she still hadn’t done a favor like that justice just yet.

“Emily,” She said, turning to face the woman who had allowed her into her life so easily. “I just wanted to say that… I appreciate what you’ve done for me, I might have said this before but I don’t think I can ever say it enough.”

Amelie walked forward, taking her hands and bringing them to her lips. “Thank you for sharing your life and your love with me, it is… one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. If there is anything that I can do to repay you please, just ask.”

“Oh? Anything you say?” Emily raised an eyebrow, smirk dancing on her lips. “That’s a very bold promise to make.”

“And one that I am earnest in making.”

“Well… how about a kiss then?”

Amelie’s mouth dropped open, eyes wide with shock and her mind temporarily shutting down. “I… I’m sorry?”

“A kiss, a peck on the lips, a teeny little smooch,” Emily laughed, “Honestly, is it that big of a deal?”

“Not… normally, no. But what about Lena?”

“Oh trust me pet,” Emily said, stepping closer and placing her hands on Amelie’s hips. “She will absolutely not mind, besides it’s not like we haven’t already slept together.”

“Yes, _slept,_ as in we were in the same bed with Lena between us.” Emily couldn’t help but smile at Amelie’s blush, cheeks that were normally blue starting to turn a deeper shade of purple. “Honestly, you sound like Sombra…”

“I’m sure that we would get along famously…” Emily bit her lip, gazing longingly at Amelie’s own. “Are you ok with this? If you really don’t want to we don’t have to.”

Amelie considered taking the way out, it had been clearly offered to her and she would be a fool to not accept. But… when she looked into Emily’s eyes, when she flicked her gaze lower and saw those full lips that were asking permission to meet with her own… when she thought of how quickly this remarkable woman had wormed her way into Amelie’s heart and taken up almost as much residence as Lena herself, there was really no other choice to make.

Emily let out a muffled squeak when Amelie’s mouth collided with hers, eyes falling shut and her hands squeezing around Amelie’s hips. She’d seen her kiss Lena more times than she could count, and the occasional peck on the cheek had told her how soft Amelie’s lips were, but to experience them like this, to be connected with her so intimately and to feel her almost falling apart from a simple kiss… she could hardly believe her senses, it wasn’t often that you experienced something so incredible.

Amelie herself was having a hard time keeping herself under control, before Lena there hadn’t been much need for anything more intimate with another person other than killing them, to be thrust right back into the throes of desire with not just one, but _two_ utterly gorgeous and wonderful women… it was a bit much to handle.

Gradually, all thoughts of cooking vacated their minds, Amelie’s hands finding their way underneath Emily’s thighs and hefting her up onto the countertop, their lips not separating for an instant along the way. Emily thought about stopping, wondering if they were getting too close to one of the many bottles and jars littering the counter before a tongue swept across her top lip, all protests dying in her lungs as she wrapped her hands around Amelie’s head and pulled her in closer.

As hesitant as Amelie had been to start, she couldn’t see any situation that would make her stop now that she was this deep, almost ready to pick her back up and carry her towards the bedroom when a pointed clearing of a throat snapped her out of her trance and turned her blood to ice.

“Y’know, if you just wanted a moment alone together all you had to do was ask.” Lena smirked from where she was leaning on the doorframe, a half empty bottle of beer telling them that she’d been watching for a while. “So? Thoughts?”

Emily straightened her shirt out, clearing her throat and trying to get her breathing under control. “As… wonderful as you made it look, I assure you.”

Amelie looked between them, ninety-nine percent sure before that Lena would be fine with what they had done, but that one percent still haggled at her. “You’re really ok with this? You are _certain?_ ”

Lena snorted, “No kiddin’ luv, who do you think suggested it in the first place?” She gestured between them with her beer. “Don’t think I never caught onto those lingerin’ looks, I know that face when I see it.”

“Oh?” Emily asked, “And how did you become such an expert in lingering looks?”

“I got enough practice when I met you, I’d be starin’ off at you and I’d catch a look at my reflection in my glass. I looked just as lovesick as the two of you do.” She took a sip, letting her head fall against the frame. “Well go on, don’t stop on my account.”

Amelie laughed, reaching out and tugging her in between herself and Emily. “You are a very strange woman, do you know that?”

“Well yeah, look at what I do for a livin’,” She sighed, “Which is why I’m back so early, got the word from Gabe. He’s got another name for us to cross off.”

“Oh…” Amelie was surprised by how disappointed she was, she enjoyed spending time together, just the three of them, but she hadn’t thought she would rather do that than get her revenge. She was learning something new about herself every day it turned out. “How long do we have to prepare?”

“He said that we can take care of it in the next couple days, the day after tomorrow would be best. They’ll pick us up and drop us there, it’s an oil rig or something out in the pacific.”

“An oil rig?” Emily chuckled, “Everything you two do is so dramatic, I love it.”

“And very dangerous,” Amelie said, “If it’s an oil rig then that means that it’s Ellara that we’re going after.”

“What’s she do?”

“She supplies weapons to both sides of the conflicts that Talon stirs up. She used to be on the board for an arms company back in America before she saw she could make more money by giving up the illusion of morals the rest of her coworkers had.” Amelie shuddered at the thought of what was on the oil rig with her. “Ellara never travels without cargo, that oil rig is probably packed to the brim with _very_ powerful munitions.”

“Great,” Lena said, “Explosives next to the oil, that sounds top. We’ll have to make sure we do everything right then, yeah?”

Emily placed her hands on both their shoulders, nodding slowly with an understanding smile. “I know that this is very important to the two of you, but the planning can wait until we’ve eaten this wonderful dessert, don’t you think?”

Lena felt her stomach rumble, looking away guiltily when they giggled at her blush. “Sounds like a plan luv, couldn’t really think of anything else all today.”

“Good,” Emily replied, handing her the bowl and pointing at the tray on top of the oven. “I think you can take care of the meringues, we’ll be right next to you to clean up.”

Amelie snorted at the offended look that crossed Lena’s face. “I’m gonna choose to take that as a compliment Em, just get ready for the best bloody meringues you’ve ever tasted!”

Emily looked between the two of them, smile brightening her face as she let out a content sigh, “I’m sure you two won’t disappoint.”

 

Dinner and dessert had been a success, all their efforts combining and producing a delicious dish of _bœuf bourguignon_ and _île flottante_ , washed down with a well chosen red wine in Amelie and Emily’s cases, and a can of Guinness in Lena’s.

After having been working the whole morning and then preparing a dinner, Emily was unfortunately almost falling asleep by the time they had finished dessert, her head resting on Lena’s shoulder while her legs were draped across Amelie. With a regretful sigh and a mock attempt at resistance she allowed herself to be carried off to bed by the two women, quick kisses placed upon her lips before they stepped back out to attend to their business.

“Hard to believe it’s only been a few months right?” Lena kicked her legs off the edge of the roof, staring off into the distant lights of London. “I’ve done a lot since we met back up… we’ve both changed so much haven’t we?”

“We have. But… change is not necessarily a bad thing. Without change I wouldn’t have come back to you, or met Emily.”

Lena smiled. “You’re pretty fond of her aren’t you? You can see why I want to marry her.”

“Yes… that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Amelie sat down next to her, not saying a word while she pulled the ring box out of her pocket. “Sombra got my wedding rings back for me, took them from right under the nose of one of the men most responsible for his death.”

Lena gasped when she saw the diamonds sparkling in the moonlight, Amelie cradling them between her fingers as though they were made of glass. “I’ve had them for days, but I haven’t taken them out of the box until now. I thought about wearing mine again but… how can I? I’m the one responsible for losing them in the first place.”

“What? No!” Lena leaned in to her side, squeezing her shoulder for comfort. “What happened to you… Gerard’s death… _both_ your deaths, they weren’t because of you. Talon took you, Overwatch failed you, you were just… an ordinary woman who got forced into something you couldn't control, what else could you have done?”

“I’m sure there are many things…” Amelie shook her head sadly, hand trembling while she looked down at the ring in the middle of her palm. “But it doesn’t matter, he is gone and nothing can change that. The only way is forward.”

Lena cocked an eyebrow when Amelie grabbed her hand, turning it over and placing the rings in her palm. “Uh… luv? What you doin’?”

“Gerard does not need them, and I cannot wear them. Given that I cannot marry you or Emily… I think this is a good compromise.”

Her eyes went wide, looking down at the rings in shock before Amelie closed her fingers. “You can’t be serious… Ame these are your _wedding rings._ ”

“No, they’re not.” Amelie smiled, turning away when her vision went blurry, voice trembling as she said, “They’re yours now.”

Lena flapped her mouth open and closed, trying desperately to find some way that she could express her gratitude. When she saw that words wouldn’t reach her, she shuffled over to Amelie’s side and buried her head into her neck, arms wrapped around her shoulders and clutching her just as tightly as she was the pair of rings.

“Thank you so much Amelie, I… you mean so much to me, you mean so much to Emily… I don’t know what I would do without you, or what would have happened to us if you hadn’t come back, but whatever happens, however this ends… I’m not going to leave you, not again.” She pulled Amelie in, their lips pressed tightly together and tears falling down their cheeks. When Lena spoke next her voice was hoarse with emotion and strong with resolve, “I love you Amelie, and nothing is ever going to change that.”

Amelie ran her thumb over her cheek, admiring every inch of beauty on her face. “I hope that one day I can say that publicly, to show everyone that our love is something to not be ashamed of. What do you say we take a step towards that?”

“Lead the way Amelie,” Lena said, closing her eyes and leaning into Amelie’s hand. “I’ll follow you wherever you want.”

 

“You two know what to do?” Gabriel spoke over the radio, Sombra and himself seated in the cockpit as they approached their destination. Amelie and Lena were pulling their parachutes on, making sure everything was secure before they put on their masks.

“We drop in, Sombra knocks out the comms and we get to Ellara as quietly as we can.” Lena tapped the magazine on her gun, nodding when she was satisfied. “You sure you can do that from here Sombra? We’re ten thousand feet in the air.”

“Piece of cake Ox, I could do it with my eyes closed. And I just might,” She chuckled, “You just worry about you, I’ll worry about that.”

Amelie sat back in her chair while they moved, satisfied that everything was prepared properly. “There is still time for you to pull out of this Lena, you could leave it to me.”

Lena shook her head. “Nah, that’s not gonna happen. Like I told you Ame, I’m not leaving you, not for any reason. But… let’s try and keep it as quiet as we can yeah?”

“Why’s that? I thought you liked a fight?”

“I do but… what you and Emily said really hit me y’know? About me… changin’ and all that, I don’t want to wake up one day and find out I’ve killed more people than the people we set out to kill in the first place.”

Amelie nodded, sparing her a brief smile. “I understand, we’ll try to take as little life as possible from here on out. Though if it makes you feel better, if we are discovered every soldier here _chose_ to be here, Ellara wouldn’t accept them as guards otherwise.”

“Is it always like that? Does everyone in Talon choose or… are some of them like you?”

Gabriel gave the answer. “Most of the rank and file are taken from those that couldn’t make it in the civilized world. Insurgents, war criminals, dishonorably discharged men and women that wanted a chance to bully those that were smaller than them or different to them.” His tone suggested that he was intimately familiar and displeased with the type of person he was describing. “Though mixed in with that there are those that are trying to feed their families and were left with no other options when their governments failed them or shoved them aside.”

“Mind control is too expensive, and too complicated,” Sombra said, “The amount of times they had to reset Ame… it’s not just evil, it’s also not very sustainable. They learned that lesson with the rest of them...”

“The rest of them?” Lena asked, tilting her head at Amelie. “There were others?”

“Before me they had been experimenting with augmented assassins, artificially enhanced marksmen, all very complicated I’m sure. There was some overlap when I was first put into the field, I worked alongside them for a time. The results… left something to be desired.”

“What happened to them?”

The aircraft was hit with a heavy silence, none of them quite sure how to answer that other than honestly. Except none of them wanted to speak the truth about it.

“I killed them,” Amelie said, “All of them, it was one of my first real tasks after being let off my leash. Some of them chose to undergo the procedures, and some of them were like me… those were the ones who I remember the most.”

Lena took Amelie’s hand, winding their fingers together and leaning close. “Then we’ll just have to avenge them too, won’t we?”

Amelie nodded. “Yes, that we do.”

“Hate to interrupt the moment, but we’re almost at the drop point.” Reaper stepped into the back with them, leaving Sombra at the helm. “Should be thirty soldiers between you and her, once the job’s done ping the radio and we’ll come in low. You’ll be in and out with no trouble.”

“Alright boss,” Lena said, jumping to her feet and reaching out for Amelie. “You ready to go luv?”

“ _Oui,_ ” She replied, smiling as she took Lena’s hand. “More than.”

 

They’d opened their parachutes low to the rig, moving too fast for any radar to pick up. It was a close call to avoid landing in the ocean rather than on the platform, which would have been a rather embarrassing end to the mission, but soon enough they were stood tall and ready for a fight.

“You alright Am?” Lena grinned when she nodded, flashing a thumbs up while she checked her gloves. “I’m ready to go when you are, don’t suppose you know your way around do you?”

“I was here once, I doubt that her office has changed positions in the last few years.” She shook her head, preparing to walk. “Honestly, this is incredibly shoddy.”

“You think it might be a trap?”

“Not particularly, she’s not smart enough for that. She can provide soldiers but she isn’t capable of leading them.” They walked low along the outside of the platform, keeping an eye out for any incoming patrols. “She surrounds herself with soldiers and weapons and thinks that will keep her safe. She’s wrong.”

“What did she do to you?” Lena asked, “You don’t have to tell me but… she did something didn’t she?”

“Ellara and her soldiers were the ones who grabbed the rest of the unwilling subjects from their homes, and it was her funding that attracted Dr. Kozlov to the organization.” She shuddered, stopping for a moment to regain her composure. “I have… very vivid memories now of what the procedure entailed.”

Lena placed her hand on Amelie’s arm, just letting her presence be known. “I’m sorry luv, it’s… it’s not fair what happened to you, you didn’t deserve any of it.”

“I am remembering more of them everyday Lena, so many more people who were involved in my creation than I first thought…”

“And we’ll get them Ame, you know that…”

“That is what I’m afraid of Lena,” She said, “What if there really isn’t an end to them? What if we are fighting this war for the rest of our lives, until we can’t fight anymore?”

Lena stopped her, pulling them into the dark and shushing her until two guards that had almost discovered the walked past. When she spoke next she chose her words very carefully, exhaling steadily before saying, “Then we’ll fight that war together, no matter how long, no matter what we have to do to win it. Me and Em are in your corner all the way, there’s no changing that.”

Amelie laughed softly, “Yes, I should have guessed that by now. You are so adorably stubborn.”

“Too right luv, now what do you say we get this one knocked out, yeah?”

She nodded, pulling out her knife and smirking at the glint on the blade. “Yes. Let’s.”

Kneeling down, Amelie boosted Lena up to the next floor, jumping and grabbing Lena’s hand and swinging herself up to meet her. Keeping themselves as low to the ground as they could they ran forward, padded shoes tapping lightly against the metal grates. Rounding the first corner they came across their first obstacle, two soldiers chatting happily and looking up at the stars.

“Well,” Amelie whispered, “Perhaps she _doesn’t_ always choose the best security.”

Lena shifted her hand in the weighted gloves, tapping her palm against the metal inserts as they made their approach. Even though they were working willingly for one of the most evil organizations she had encountered in her life, and though it wasn’t going to _kill_ them, she still had to wince at the thought of being hit by what she was about to hit them with.

Once they were ten feet away Amelie took off in a sprint towards them, ducking to the left and coming up behind the further soldier just as they began to turn at the noise. Lena seized the opportunity, throwing her fist forward and listening to the sound of an unfortunate troopers teeth shattering under the force of the blow.

He dropped to the ground without much of a sound, his friend getting only a second to realize what was happening before Amelie bounced her head off the railing, kicking the gun from her hands and clubbing her at the base of her skull with the pommel of her karambit.

“Y’know, you keep hitting them that hard they’re not going to be waking up after.” Lena dragged her target off into the dark, nodding when Amelie did the same. “Where to from here?”

“Left will take us to the main platform, her office is on the third floor up where she can look at the munitions in peace.” Amelie led the way, pointing up to an open window on the outside of the building. “This will take us to the second floor, but once we are there we will still have a full flight of stairs to head up. If we need to kill, do we?”

“If we have to?” Lena nodded. “No question.”

Boosting each other up, they slipped in through the window and landed lightly on the second floor, Lena taking a second after making sure the coast was clear to admire the _arsenal_ that Ellara had stashed in the main platform.

“Bloody hell… guns, ammunition, missiles… your girl really has everything locked down huh?”

“Mmm, she could always find the most interesting projectiles,” Amelie sighed almost sadly, “Such a shame she won’t be able to do that any longer.”

Lena double checked that the suppressor was secured on her pistol, not wanting to give any announcements of their presence around so much firepower. They would still produce a loud snap to be sure, but at least it was better than the normal thunderclap of a gunshot would be. She would be glad to have it in any case, the two of them rounding the corner to the staircase and coming face to face with a lone soldier ten feet up from them, looking just as surprised to see them as they were.

She acted quickly, aiming and squeezing the trigger as soon as she had him in her sights. The round snapped out of the barrel, a harsh crack accompanying its exit and echoing off the walls around them, travelling straight up the staircase and finding final stop in the soldier’s throat.

His rifle fell from his hands, both coming up to close around his neck to try and stem the tide of blood to no avail, his legs falling out from under him and sending him tumbling roughly down the stairs to land at their feet.

Amelie wasn’t one for undue suffering, taking his head in her hands and sinking the blade of her knife up through the back of his neck and into his brain stem, his body twitching for a second before going limp. “Very messy,” She said, wiping the blade off on his uniform. “But necessary.”

Lena was already walking up the stairs, pistol at the ready and her mind far from the man at the base of the stairs. “Looks like we’re all clear here, how much further?”

“End of the hallway, there should be a two man guard outside the door.”

Lena checked her magazine. “No trouble, lead the way.”

They came across surprisingly little resistance, only having to duck away into the shadows once on their way towards Ellara’s office, another patrol passing by without giving their alcove even a second look. With a body leaking only one floor down they knew there was no time to waste, not even bothering to incapacitate the first patrol as they slipped out and made their way forward.

When they came to the door of the office Lena didn’t wait to ask any questions, raising her pistol and firing two quick shots down the hallway into the heads of the two guards standing at the door, Amelie and herself rushing forward and tearing the door open before the bodies had even finished falling.

“What the hell?” Ellara said, jumping out of her chair at the noise of the door. “What do you think… _you…_ ”

She turned white at the sight of Amelie, mask torn off and hanging in her free hand, eyes travelling down from a smirk filled with hatred to a blade stained with the blood of another victim. Whatever plans she had for escape or alarm died when Amelie spoke her next sentence.

“Scream and I’ll make this last for hours.” She advanced, jumping over the table and grabbing the back of Ellara’s neck, holding her close and placing the tip of the blade at her chest. “You know why I’m here.”

“I… I didn’t _know…_ ”

“You didn’t know what? That the men and women you hired would be conducting human experiments? That you would have to get rid of most of them anyway?” She pulled her closer, the blade sinking in slightly and drawing a pained gasp. “Or did you just not think I would remember _everything?_ ”

Ellara looked up at her, eyes wide with fear and growing terror. “Everything?”

“Oh yes,” She replied, looking over Ellara’s shoulder and out the window, the stars shining brightly in the darkness. “ _Everything._ ”

Ellara could only choke out her next breaths, eyes bulging as Amelie pushed the blade in and dragged it upwards, feeling her heart carving in two before she was dropped callously to the floor, mouth flapping open and closed in a sad bid for mercy. It wasn’t long before she faded away, eyes remaining locked open and staring at her killer, body laying there even as Amelie turned and began to walk away.

“We’re finished here my love, let us go home.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Lena said, letting out the breath that she had been holding in ever since Amelie had jumped across the desk. “Em’ll be glad to see- Down!”

Lena shoved her down to the ground, just as a burst of automatic fire shredded the door frame where their heads had just been. She fired a quick double tap down the hallway, catching one of the two soldiers they had passed before in the stomach. He dropped to the ground noisily, firing his rifle clumsily with one hand while he tried to crawl behind cover to his friend.

“Goddammit!” The other soldier yelled, standing up and pulling the pin on a grenade. He reared his arm back, in the midst of cursing Lena before his head snapped back and the top of his head burst.

Leaving Lena and the wounded soldier watching in silent horror as the grenade flew from his hand, safety lever flying off and sailing down to the ground floor.

Landing right in a box of ammunition.

“We’ve gotta go!” Lena screamed, grabbing Amelie and dragging her to the back of the office, a quick series of shots splintering the glass before they threw themselves through it. Any confusion Amelie had over the hasty exit was silenced when the grenade exploded, setting off a chain reaction that was already sending missiles flying through the walls and was almost certainly going to end with an explosion big enough to make the Humanity League HQ explosion look like a firecracker.

They landed two floors below shoulder first, Lena feeling something dislocate but not having the time to rewind herself, dragging herself to her feet and tugging Amelie along with her. “Gabriel, are you there?” She yelled into her radio, looking around her and seeing the rest of the soldiers starting to run as well. “We need to get out of here ASAP!”

“How soon?” He answered, clearly already flying as fast as he could towards them.

They flinched as the first big explosion rocked the platform, containers visibly starting to slide as the entire rig began to crack. “In the next twenty seconds!”

“You got it, we’re not going to be able to stop, you’ll have to jump for it! You’ve got one shot at this!”

She nodded. “You got it, north side, just be there!”

Amelie was already sprinting alongside her, trusting her to know the way to safety. Though given this tended to happen to them quite regularly, maybe ‘safety’ wasn’t the correct word for it.

“We got one shot Ame, do you trust me?” Lena could see the edge of the platform, the roar of the engines starting to echo in her ears.

Amelie nodded, taking her hand and speeding herself up as much as she could. “ _Always._ ”

They felt weightless when they pushed off the platform, sailing through the air seemingly towards oblivion before their vision was filled with metal and glass. Through it all Lena couldn’t help but laugh as she remembered that it had only been a few weeks since she had done this back in London, only this time she was leaving the assassination rather than going to it.

It was funny how things changed in such a short time.

They landed in a rough heap, Sombra jumping to the side to avoid being crushed by their weight. “ _Chingado!_ Do you two know how to do _anything_ quietly?”

“Sorry Som…” Lena rubbed the back of her neck, grimacing to herself. “We-”

The ship rocked to the side as the shockwave hit them, the rest of the munitions finally going up and producing enough explosive force to rock the ocean hundreds of meters away. The explosion reached at least a hundred feet into the air, all three of them able to feel the heat even as they sped away into the night.

The oil rig ceased to exist, molten iron raining down from the sky and dragging itself down to the sea floor, flames raging across the surface of the water as what oil remained from its pre-safehouse use spilled and set itself ablaze.

A silver lining they supposed was that they didn’t have to worry about witnesses, come morning it was likely nothing of them would ever be found at all.

“Jesus…” Lena said, falling back against an equally speechless Amelie. It was a long time before she spoke again, her cheerfulness back in full force. “Well that’s two down, how about we go for a third?”

“That sounds good Lena,” Amelie said, “But right now, I think I just want to sleep…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Graphic violence, references to medical experimentation/torture etc.
> 
> So sorry about the wait, but I wanted this to be a bigger one, lots of things to get through before the end! I hope you enjoyed this one, hard to believe it's almost been a year! Hopefully we'll be finished on the anniversary, but I wouldn't hold my breath on that, you know how bad I am with deadlines.
> 
> If you liked this please leave a comment, writers live and die on those! You can also follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter).
> 
> Until next time!


	23. Chapter 23

“Shit,” Lena said, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. She was doing all she could not to look at the news reports, but given that they were on every channel and spread across every news site on the net that was all but impossible.

The mission had gone well, they hadn’t been discovered and they were on their way to a successful extraction, right up until two guards just so happened to stumble past on their patrol and started shooting at them, starting a chain of events that ended with every ounce of munitions on the rig going up and all but disintegrating the entire platform. There was the danger of an environmental incident, but the levels of oil still left over were shockingly low, most of it burning up before it could even spread into the water. The clean up crews had gotten there fast, so at least that wasn’t something that either of them had to feel bad about.

The fact that a simple kill job had turned from a discreet affair into front page news however, was.

“Not that I don’t love your flair for the dramatic,” Emily said, “But perhaps there is a better time and place for it?”

“It wasn’t even my fault this time! Bloody Talon idiot was the one with the grenade, don’t rightly know what he was thinkin’ there!” She ground her hands against her temples, wincing at the tender skin on her forearms. “Got the worst bloody sunburn of my life…”

“If it was the fault of either of us, it would be mine,” Amelie sighed, pulling her hair out of its ponytail and letting it fall free. “I could have ended things quickly and we could have left before anything else was amiss. But I had to let her know it was me…”

“After what you told me that’s bloody fair enough, she deserved to know why it was happening.” Lena shrugged, sitting back on the couch with a pained groan. “Maybe next time though we just shoot them, I think I’ve had enough with everything exploding all the time. Broken glass the first time then a fuckin’ oil fire…”

“Perhaps more pressingly,” Emily said, “This is _worldwide_ news, it’s not going to take much digging to find out who owned the rig, and who was recently known to be boarding it. And while I highly doubt anyone or anything saw you, you probably have some friends who are going to recognize _her.”_

“Mmm…” Amelie hummed, “Ellara was one of the older generation, she wasn’t just known to those at Talon, it’s likely that some at Overwatch know her name as well. When they get word they’re going to investigate, and that will make it very hard to be able to keep doing what we are doing.”

Lena stretched herself out, Emily already approaching with a small bottle of aloe vera to soothe her burns. “Sounds to me like you’re suggesting that we take a bit of a vacation while the heat dies down. Can’t say that sounds like a bad idea, it’d be nice to just sit around for a while.”

“Yes… I could do with a break myself.” She hissed at her own burns. “Perhaps sooner rather than later.”

“Well, I’m not going to complain,” Emily said, rubbing her hands together and applying the gel to Lena’s arms. “It’s getting colder at night lately, it’ll be nice to have two people to warm me up.”

Amelie laughed, stroking her hand along Emily’s back while she made herself comfortable. “You’re much more bold than I thought you would be when we first met, I’m glad that I was wrong.”

“Me too pet,” She replied, “Me too.”

 

“Alright team, thank you for coming here on such short notice.” Winston looked around the room, nodding to those that had gathered. “Lena was not able to make it because of clean up from the recent attacks, and I’ve been informed that Jesse was injured in Dorado, which leaves us two people short.”

“Depending on what we’re doing that shouldn’t matter right?” Hana asked, leaning on her hands disinterestedly, her eyes occasionally flicking to Satya and her lips curling into a barely hidden smile.

“That’s right,” Fareeha replied, “We’re all professionals, we should be able to cover for two people.”

Winston nodded, flicking the screen on behind him. “I’m sure you all remember the series of attacks over the last two weeks?”

“How could we not?” Hana asked, “My favorite coffee shop was demolished.”

“I have been informed by two of our… less frequent guests that those acts may have been made in connection with Talon.”

“Excuse me?” Angela screwed her brow up in confusion, leaning forward and saying, “Why would Talon take actions _in support_ of a pro-Omnic organization? That goes against everything that they believe in.”

“That’s true,” Genji said, “I remember reading in an old Blackwatch file somewhere that there _was_ one Omnic involved in their organization, but he didn’t seem to be holding that much influence at the time. If he has any now it is likely with extreme friction.”

“What makes your…” Fareeha scowled. “ _Informants_ consider this to be related to Talon?”

“The attacks led to some very interesting revelations on the Humanity League’s funding.” Winston began flicking through screens detailing the attacks, before centering in on Dorado. “Most of the files in the offices were destroyed in the blasts or stolen by the attackers, but there were some papers left relatively unscathed. These detailed payments from a shell corporation that belongs to another, then another, before one single payment from a private account was found in the records of one such company.”

The next image that displayed on the screen was of a woman, white in her mid 40’s, leaving a private plane in Mozambique. “This is Ellara Robertson, noted arms dealer and suspected member of Talon. This is the document detailing a transfer of thirty-million dollars from an offshore account into one of the many shell corporations found to have had dealings with at least five independent HL cells.”

“Ellara? I remember her,” Reinhardt said, “She became one of Gerard’s prime targets in… the months leading up to his death.”

“She is a thoroughly unpleasant woman, in my time away from Overwatch I have seen the results of her business dealings far too often to forget.” Angela tightened her hands into fists. “What do we do? Are we to find her and bring her in?”

“Unfortunately, no.” The slides advanced, a satellite photo showing a boat leaving a harbor with her onboard. “Ellara was last spotted leaving the Baltimore harbor, heading towards an oil rig that we have found is connected once more to one of many shell corporations.”

They gasped when the footage from that morning began playing, the burning wreckage of the rig slowly but surely sinking below the surface of the water. “It is highly likely that she was killed last night.”

Slides from local newspapers in Spain displayed next, yet another familiar face drawing shocked gasps from Angela and Reinhardt, Genji remaining stoic but his fists noticeably tightening. “Alejandro Fernandez was killed by pro-Omnic rebels two weeks ago, mere days before the rest of the attacks began in earnest. Our information tells us that he was still an active member of Talon, and was in fact engaged in a campaign of searching local towns for rebels and sympathisers before he was killed.”

“Then… doesn’t this point to this being done by someone _outside_ of Talon?”

“There are two possibilities, that someone has decided, not unlike us I might add, that Talon cannot be allowed to do what they have been doing for decades and are using extreme methods to achieve this goal…”

Genji leaned forward, feeling and fearing what Winston was about to say. “And the second possibility?”

“That this is a cleanup operation, and Talon has decided to change their leadership style. To take Talon out of the age of anti-Omnic extremism that we fought them against and into a future that we have no idea the scope of. So far the only two killed have allegedly been senior members of the board so it’s worth considering.”

“So… what are we supposed to do?”

“I want each of you to try and find any connection you can between the two, look into where the HL used to operate, how their operations have changed in recent months. See if maybe there was some event that could have sparked any bad blood within Talon,” Winston sighed, adjusting his glasses. “I want to hope that it is just someone who wishes to stop Talon, however misguided they may be, but the fact of the matter is that they are plunging the world into chaos while they do it, and for that they need to be stopped.”

Up until that moment Satya had remained silent, content to let everyone else speak while she thought over her own opinion. She decided then that it was time to voice it. “At times like this I am reminded of my work with Vishkar, of the future I was trying to build and the lives I was hoping to improve. I did not realize that having that idea shaped would require a favela to be burned to the ground and countless people to be injured and relocated.”

The rest of those gathered were silent, the only sound from Hana as she shuffled her hand over and covered Satya’s. “I believe that order is the way for humanity to be truly at peace, for fighting to have ceased so we can focus on our advancement… but so seldom do I see order being the same as justice. What they have done goes against everything I believe in and yet I see so many people _happier_ after such turmoil, Omnics and humans working side by side to rebuild… and then I think of how little I saw that before.”

“Satya…”

“When was the last time we saw an Omnic aside from Zenyatta who felt at peace? I don’t recall any, nor do I remember any smiling faces when I helped Vishkar build upon the wreckage of people’s homes. As much as it terrifies me to think, perhaps what we consider peace is not the same as justice… maybe it is just a very convenient silence.”

She hadn’t noticed her hands beginning to shake until Hana squeezed down, drawing a surprised gasp from her and an apologetic nod to everyone else. “I am sorry… I am not condoning their actions, nor am I condemning them… I simply do not know what to think of them.”

“I would say that goes for all of us,” Genji said, “I have done similar things as them, I have seen it go very well, and very poorly. In my experience it is very hard to see which is which until it is all over. That is assuming that they are in fact acting with the best of intentions.”

Angela nodded. “He is right, we cannot tell what the outcome will be if we don’t even know if they are affiliated with Talon or not. I do not want the future of the world to be decided at the behest of an organization like that, no matter what must be done.”

“Then it is final, I leave how you proceed in your hands.” Winston shut down the slideshow, sitting back in his chair and sighing, “Please pass on what we discussed to Lena and Jesse when you can, for now I think I need to sleep.”

 

“Have they discussed it?”

Ana sat with a cup of tea, having left the base a week ago to depart with Jack. Her daughter hadn’t been notified that she was leaving, nor did Ana think that she would care, a sting that even she had to realize was her own doing. But with what she suspected about Lena and her involvement with whatever was happening to the world, it wouldn’t do for her to have her mind trapped on what Fareeha would feel knowing she was after her best friend.

In her weaker moments, Ana asked that of herself, then she changed her thought process.

“They did, apparently there were some conflicting opinions but everyone agreed to do what they could to find them.” Jack set down yet another box, knocking the lid off and rummaging through the files. “Not that I’m one to deny you your leisure time, but would you mind helping me here?”

“But you look like you have such a handle on it.” Ana smirked. “Breaking and entering isn’t enough to warrant a tea break?”

“Not when there’s a time limit, come on.”

The two of them had travelled up from Dorado, a quick raid of the ruined HL Headquarters yielding the document that had blown their investigation out of the water. Three days of constant research and chasing down leads had finally given them a company name, then finally the name of someone they could track down.

As luck would have it, the night they had travelled to Baltimore to observe her she just so happened to be fleeing the country, two days later she was likely in the stomach of several sharks. Which led them to here, an empty room in an abandoned district that no one dared to enter at night, with a trunk load of documents stolen from the recently vacated office building of one Ellara Robertson.

Maybe here they could find something to use, though with their luck thus far they weren’t getting their hopes up.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope the next member of Talon they target has some actual brains. I’m sick of having to track corpses.”

Ana chuckled, “I thought that’s what we’ve been doing for the last five years?”

“We haven’t been tracking him so much as he’s been tracking _us_ …” He grinned. “But I see your point.”

The rest of the box was sorted through silently, being tossed aside when nothing of interest was seen. They were halfway through the next when Jack asked the question that had been on his mind for the last five years.

“Do you ever regret it? Following me instead of him?” He placed the files in his hands on the table, taking a seat. “You had a chance in Egypt, why didn’t you take him up on it?”

Ana thought silently about why she’d made the choices she had, frowning when she couldn’t deny the truth. “Because he wasn’t the man I… he wasn’t the man _we_ knew anymore, not the man we’d cared about so long ago. I couldn’t see that until I was face to face with it.”

“Maybe you could have brought him back, maybe…” He sighed, rubbing his temples with his fingers. “Maybe. That’s all I’ve thought of these last few years. Maybe.”

“What happened Jack?” Ana asked, resting her hand on his. “What changed between you two? What changed _him?_ ”

“A lot of things I think. The men he lost, losing Gerard and Amelie, the way we handled Lena… that whole goddamn mess in Siberia… but I think what got him, got both of us most was losing you.”

Jack gave her a melancholic smile, squeezing down on her hand. “I’m not blaming you, any anger I had about knowing the truth is gone, but when we thought you died things turned bad quickly. I didn’t want more men to die, he said it was the first time I’d given a shit, we fought, that was that.”

“And six months later the base was attacked.”

“Yeah…” He said, gaze going distant when he remembered that day. “The base was attacked.”

_Gabriel lay next to him, the world echoing with flames and screams, rebar speared through his lungs and a river of blood flowing from his mouth, staining grey hairs red and making him look so much smaller than he had with a gun in his hand…_

_He would never forget the last words that his friend had ever said, the last words before he became a monster, said with such despair that it made his heart ache to this day._

_“Fuck it,” He’d muttered, tears streaming down his cheeks and his hand squeezed around the detonator. “Fuck it all.”_

“Jack!” He broke out of his trance, Ana crouched in front of him with her hands on his shoulders. “Are you ok? Bad memories?”

It took him a moment before he replied, “Yeah… bad memories.”

Ana sat back, worrying her lip while she watched him hang his head in his hands. “I’m… sorry that I wasn’t there. I could have done something and yet… I just sat back and watched everything turn to shit. Lena was right on that point, maybe I really was a coward.”

“Maybe,” Jack laughed at her scowl, wiping away at his reddened eyes. “There’s no point in thinking about what could have been now though, we’re living in what _is._ And the only way out…” He picked up the next box, chucking the lid off to the side and pulling out another file. “Is through.”

 

Five days of coffee and constant research had finally given them something, as little as it may have been. Jack wasn’t even certain that it was anything substantial when he’d first seen it, content to discard it into the pile of documents to be burned before he recognized the last name.

“Bartalotti?” He said the name with a considerable amount of venom, “ _That_ piece of shit?”

Ana looked up from her own work, brow screwed up at the name. “Bartalotti? The man that Gabriel killed in Venice?”

“No, not him. His brother, Marco.” Jack placed the paper down on the table, rubbing at eyes too tired to be open under normal circumstances. “He came up in the last few months of Overwatch, running arms and drugs before he was snatched up by Talon. After that he had a real bone to pick with us over his brother, with me and Gabriel specifically.”

“And she was in contact with him?”

“Yeah, the number is old, probably doesn’t exist anymore, but it gives us something to go on.” Jack allowed himself a small smirk of triumph, mind already working to capitalize. “He despised us, if Gabriel is working for him… that office must be a disaster.”

“Gabriel gave a lot of friction to people that he _liked,_ what could he possibly be doing to someone like that?”

“Given that he wants to kill us too, I imagine they’ve come to a compromise somewhere along the way.” He massaged his chin, narrowing his eyes in thought. “The Bartalotti’s were known for taking vengeance a little _too_ personally, that’s what ended up killing Antonio in the end. If he’s got Gabriel after us then that means he wants to be personally involved. That’s where we hit him, and that’s where we get the assassins out into the light.”

“What are you saying?”

“We need to find someone to get a message to him.” Jack picked up his communicator, entering a number that he hadn’t used in nearly nine years. “But for now I need to send one of my own to Winston.”

 

Winston almost didn’t notice the beeping of his communicator, laying unused under so many layers of paper and material that it took him a good thirty seconds to dig out. The number wasn’t one that he recognized, so it was with considerable suspicion that he answered the call and waited for the picture to show up.

“Winston?” The audio was weak and there was no visual to speak of, but he would recognize Jack Morrison’s voice anywhere. “Get outside away from any cameras or listening devices, we need to talk.”

Winston didn’t speak, knowing that nowadays the cloak and dagger routine wasn’t unjustified, not with the way the world had gone. It was only after he was sitting on a rock far from the base,  staring out at the moonlit ocean that he spoke.

“Jack, what’s going on? Do you have something else for me?”

“Almost, I need you to be ready to go with a team when I give the word. It’ll probably be within the next few weeks, I can’t give more of a time period than that.”

Winston hummed, “How many do you need? I have almost everyone on call, but Lena and Jesse aren’t available right now.”

“Just a team of four. Angela, Fareeha, Hana and Reinhardt, they’ll do fine.” There was a small pause before Jack continued, “And Winston? Don’t tell anyone else about this, not even anyone else at Overwatch. The only ones that can know about this are you and the four of them.”

“And I take it you want me to discuss it with them away from the base?”

“That’d be best, I don’t know if anyone is listening, and I don’t want to take chances.”

He sighed, running his hand through the fur on his neck. “What are you up to Jack? What are you dragging my people into?”

“I’ll explain everything in time, and I mean that this time, but for now… I need you to trust me Winston. Do you trust me?”

Winston didn’t answer the question, merely nodding and saying, “I’ll have the team ready.”

Jack figured that was about the answer that he deserved.

 

“You really think I’m ready to do this?” Lena asked, fussing with her tie and trying to tame the one rogue strand of hair that wasn’t meant to be sticking up. “What if it backfires or… what if she doesn’t feel the same way?”

Amelie rolled her eyes, slapping Lena’s hand away from her tie and fixing her hair properly. “You have been speaking non-stop about this for the last few weeks, if a candlelit dinner is not the place to do it then what is?”

“Yeah but… I just…”

She cut herself off as Amelie pressed her lips to hers, any further nervousness dying on her tongue just as it wound around Amelie’s.

“Trust me,” Amelie said, smiling gently at her. “She will adore this.”

“Ok…” She exhaled the breath she’d been holding, squeezing Amelie’s hand for comfort. “You going to be nearby?”

“Of course. A bottle of wine and some leftovers from last night, it shall be just like we were eating together.”

“I’m sorry that we can’t actually eat together, but this is where I first took Em and…”

“And you want this to be as special as it can be for her.” Amelie nodded. “I understand, Gerard was exactly like that when he asked me. It’s something so special that I can still remember it clearly today, even after everything that has happened.”

She placed one more kiss on her forehead before shoving her backwards toward the door. “Go on your date Lena, I won’t be far behind you.”

Lena put on a brave face, stepping out from the bedroom and greeting Emily, standing patiently outside their front door. “Heya luv, hope I didn’t keep you waitin’.”

“No trouble, you had to say bye to Amelie.” She linked her arm with Lena’s, closing the door behind them and starting off down the hallway. “Is she coming to join us?”

“Yep, just give her five minutes and she’ll probably be there before us.”

Emily giggled, “Of course, how else will we know there aren’t any traps waiting for us?”

 

There weren’t any traps waiting for them, though Amelie would never admit that she had given the restaurant a quick observation to make sure of that fact. From where they were sitting at the window if they squinted up at the rooftop across the road they could see a faint shine of a pair of yellow eyes staring down at them, the glint of a wine glass being raised and the distant gesture of a blown kiss.

Though it wasn’t as good as eating together, Emily supposed that there was a sense of romance to how their situation was.

“I’ve always liked this place,” She said, looking around at the few occupied tables around them. “It’s never busy but it’s so charming, I’m glad they’ve stayed open all these years.”

“Yeah, first place I brought you to innit?”

“That’s right,” She replied, reaching across the table and taking Lena’s hand. “A very good first impression I’d say.”

Lena cleared her throat, covering her nervousness with a mouthful of wine. “First time I felt like not a mess in a long time, I got you to thank for that.”

“Oh pet, you got me to thank for _most_ of that.” She kicked Lena’s foot under the table lightly. “You’ve come so far since then, I’m so proud of you.”

“Come on Em, you’re gonna make me tear up in public,” Lena giggled, letting herself finally get comfortable. “I can’t believe you agreed to come out to dinner with me back then.”

“Why wouldn’t I? You were funny, smarter than you gave yourself credit for, pretty fit, what girl wouldn’t leap at the chance?”

“I think you’re missing the part where I was usually nursing a whiskey hangover whenever we met up.”

“Oh of course I’m not, that just made everything that was wonderful about you stick out all the more.” She smiled. “All you needed was a helping hand to get that under control, but you didn’t need a savior. You wanted to help yourself, so you did, I was just there to support you. Plus you told me that my arse made you cry when you were drunk one night, that rather endeared you to me.”

“I was _hoping_ that you wouldn’t _remember_ that!” Lena laughed, waving to the waiter to let them know they were ready to order. “This is a special night luv, I think we should get something more expensive than what we normally get.”

“Oh? I thought this was just an ordinary date night, what’s so special?”

“Because…” She said, fumbling for an excuse. “We… want to let you know how much we appreciate you being there for us! Can you imagine where we’d be without you?”

“I can.” Emily smirked. “It’s not very pleasant.”

After buying their most expensive meal and, after balking at the price of the drinks, the third most expensive bottle of wine, the two of them found themselves falling into the familiar routine of chatting and joking, Emily’s progress with her patients being discussed within the means she was allowed, Lena talking about the few occasions that she’d seen Satya and Hana starting to get more comfortable around each other.

“Sooner or later they’re gonna be just as comfortable snogging it up like ol’ Angie and Reeha.” Lena almost hugged herself. “It’s gonna be so _cute_ when they do!”

“And the rest of the team is as… clued in on this as you are?”

“Em they’re so bloody unsubtle _Talon_ probably knows they like each other!” She looked out the window, shooting a side eye at Emily. “Well, at least three members know for sure.”

Emily followed her gaze, a quiet grin spreading across her face. “And how are they?”

“They’re… good. Off doing their own thing right now but we’ll meet up again once everything is calmed down.” Lena brushed her foot along Emily’s leg, tapping idly at her knee while she leaned on her hand. “It’d be nice if you could meet them one day, I think you’d probably get along famously.”

“Maybe someday pet, right now I’m just happy knowing that they’re out there keeping you safe.” Emily flicked her eyes towards the rooftop where their guest was watching them lazily. “This is a very nice night, but when we all get back I think we should do something special for Amelie, something to show how much we appreciate her you know?”

“That sounds nice,” Lena said, throat suddenly going dry while she looked around them. “But Em… me and her we… really wanted to use tonight to show _you_ that, and I…”

Emily leaned in, brow pinched and her hand covering Lena’s. “Lena? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah luv, yeah,” Lena said, standing and walking to the side of the table. “I just had to get my nerve up is all.”

“Your nerve?” Emily asked, about to continue when Lena dropped to one knee, all other questions dying in her mind and leaving absolutely nothing in their wake. “L-Lena? What are you doing?”

“Something that I should have done years ago Em, you’ve deserved it for so long.” She rested her hand on Emily’s knee, not daring to do anything else lest she lose her nerve completely. “You saw me at my lowest, you saw this pathetic, sad woman wasting herself away and you reached out to her. You dragged me kicking and screaming out of the shitpile that I’d made of my life and somewhere along the way, you let me know that it was ok to love again.”

Emily’s hands were shaking, tears coming to the corners of her eyes while she hoped about what was coming. “I… all I did was give you what you deserved Lena.”

“Yeah…” Lena smiled gently, her lips trembling and her own eyes filled with tears. “And now I’m returning the favor.”

She reached into her pocket, Emily gasping and clapping her hand over her mouth when she pulled out the old ring box. “You’re one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I work with a genetically modified ape and a magic monk.”

Emily laughed, sweeping Lena’s tears away with her thumb while she tried to keep herself from shattering.

“I don’t know where I would be without you Emily, in fact I don’t know if I’d even be here at all. But I am thanks to you, I wake up every morning and feel loved, like no matter how bad the world gets outside our flat if I just lay back into your arms everything will be ok. I’ve tried to give you everything I can in thanks but… until now I’ve been holding back.” Lena exhaled steadily, closing her eyes for a few seconds while she readied her hand on the lip.

“Emily… will you marry me?”

When Lena pulled the box open and revealed the sparkling rings it all became real to Emily, that the woman that she loved more than anything in the world was asking her to make that concrete commitment to stay together forever. They’d already all but agreed to do exactly that anyway, they’d known they would be together years ago, but to have it written out so clearly, that their futures were truly intertwined… it took her a second to process before the tears started falling in earnest.

“Y-yes!” Emily said, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around Lena’s neck. “How could I ever say anything other than yes?”

Lena didn’t say anything, closing her arms around Emily and pulling her in for a deep kiss, the waiter at first approaching to ask for them to stop before he realized what the situation was. Instead he walked back to the kitchen and received a bottle of champagne, wisely deciding to stay away until their moment was over.

After what seemed like an eternity of their lips being locked together, Lena and Emily pulled back from each other, Emily’s hand raising and allowing the ring to be placed on her finger.

“It’s beautiful,” She said, “Where did you even find them?”

Lena flicked her head to the side, letting Emily place her own ring on her finger as well. “A gift from someone very special to us, she thought it would be a nice way for all of us to stay together.”

“Well,” Emily said, raising her hand in a tiny wave while looking into what she was certain were Amelie’s eyes. “We really _do_ have to do something to thank her don’t we?”

“Yeah luv, we do…” Lena took her hands, leading her back to her feet and to her seat. “But right now, I think this should just be about you.”

From her seat up on the roof Amelie wiped at her eyes, pouring herself another glass of wine and raising it in a toast. “Enjoy this moment you two. The world might be on fire right now but… you deserve something nice.”

She closed her eyes, rubbing her fingers around where a ring had once sat. “Someone is finally wearing them again Gerard, I think that you would be happy about that.”

And that was how the rest of her night went, thinking back to the man she had shared her life with and looking down at the two women she was going to spend the rest of it with.

 

Three weeks later Marco turned over in bed restlessly, torn out of his sleep by the incessant ringing of the secure line on his desk. He’d asked that line only be rung under the most necessary of circumstances, so it was with only a second of regret that he flung himself out of bed and answered the call.

“Yes?” He asked, “Who is it?”

“Mr. Bartalotti Sir? It’s Franco, your contact in Italy.” There was a small pause, the sound of shuffling papers and a clearing throat, “We found them Sir, Morrison and Amari.”

“You have?” Marco moved around his desk, ready to give the order for forces to mobilize in an instant. “Where are they?”

“They were spotted crossing the channel into England, I did a follow up and found that they were heading towards London. I contacted you as soon as I was sure, I know you wish to be present.”

“Good, that’s very good.” Marco was happier than he could remember being in months, the thought of revenge being so close was… liberating. “Very good work Franco, I’ll be sure to see that you are rewarded for this.”

“Thank you Sir, would you like me to book a room for you in London?”

“That will do very nicely Franco, I’m sure my particulars are known to you. I await your confirmation.” Hanging up the phone, the next number he dialed was one he also reserved for the highest of necessity, but for an entirely different reason. “Reyes? Gather your team, we’re going to London.”

 

A quick confirmation call was all Franco needed before his job was done, the suppressor jammed into the back of his neck more of an incentive to succeed than any reward. But the call was through, the details confirmed and his guests plans seemed to be on their next step.

“I’m going to turn around now, ok?” He raised his hands in the air, turning his chair slowly until the gun was level with his eye rather than his neck. “My work is done now, you can just walk away.”

Ana hummed, pulling back the hammer on the pistol. “And what would be stopping you from calling him back the instant we leave?”

“The knowledge that you would come right back for me for one.” He looked over at Jack, who was too busy working with his commlink to be invested in the conversation. “I know what’s between you and Bartalotti and trust me, I don’t want anything to do with that.”

Jack finally looked up from his hands, his eyes sweeping right over Franco and up to Ana. “Clean this up, we need to be out of here ASAP.”

Ana didn’t hesitate before pulling the trigger, free hand catching the ejected casing and pocketing it swiftly, knocking Franco’s body to the ground and dumping the rest of the documents from the office on top of him. A few matches later and the office was ablaze, no Talon agents alive within thirty miles that would be able to sound the alarm.

“Winston,” Jack said, finger in his ear to hear Winston over the roar of the fire. “Ready the team, we’re going to hit them tomorrow. It’s time to end this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, on the road to the end! A moment of happiness for our three girls, they deserve it after so long! And a brief glimpse into the past, just what happened between the three soldiers to send everything so wrong?
> 
> If you liked this please leave a comment, kudos are nice but I really love hearing your thoughts! You can also follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter).]
> 
> See you next time!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in end notes

“You’re sure that it was them? Your man couldn’t have made a mistake?” Gabriel stood with his arms crossed, delaying getting the rest of his team together until he had absolute confirmation. “I’m not getting Sombra out of bed unless you tell me that you’re sure.”

“I’m sure Reyes, I wouldn’t have gotten _myself_ out of bed if I wasn’t certain.” Marco was almost shaking with excitement, the thought of finally seeing two of the people responsible for his brother’s death closer to reality with every minute. He’d accepted that Reyes was untouchable, for the moment at least, so killing the two that he had been closest with in his hero days was a fine enough compromise. “I know that you’re suspicious of my every move, but this is one that benefits the both of us. You should be happy.”

“Somehow I don’t really see much reason to join in with your celebration,” Gabriel said, “I spent thirty years fighting with them. I’ll kill them, but I’m not going to enjoy it.”

“Aww… where’s that gungho spirit that you always show around me?”

“Absent when my people are on the line, we’re the ones who have to do the actual killing. With Widowmaker out of commission that just leaves me and Sombra to deal with your… amateur soldiers.” Gabriel shrugged. “Forgive me if I don’t share your optimism.”

“You can’t get Widowmaker back in time?”

“No,” He said, “Not where she’s gone. The target she’s after is too important.”

Marco grunted, “Fine, the two of you will have to do then. We don’t get along but… I at least respect your tactical mind. If you think the two of you will be enough, that’ll be enough.”

“Just the two of us?” He raised his eyebrow. “You’re not even going to count your soldiers?”

“Please, you know just as well as I do how expandable they both _are_ and _will_ be. They’ll be good for a shield, that’s it.” He waved Gabriel out, pressing a button on his desk to summon his secretary. “Make your plans, I want them to be taken tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry, someone is definitely going to die tomorrow.” Gabriel turned on his heel, waving lazily as he departed. “Enjoy your eggs.”

“I will Reyes, see you in London.”

“No,” He said to himself once he had left the office, “You won’t. But I know someone who _will._ ”

 

“Come on Em, you gotta let us get up sometime!” Lena giggled when Emily wrapped her arm around her stomach, pulling her back down onto the bed to lie on top of her. “We’ve got things we have to do today, we can’t just stay in bed!”

“We can and we will,” Emily said, holding her hand in the air to admire the shine of her ring. “I can’t believe you gave these to us Amelie, this is so wonderful.”

“I would rather see them somewhere beautiful than in some dusty old box.” She pressed her lips to Emily’s, pulling Lena over to her and doing the same again. “I think I picked a good place, don’t you?”

“The best.” Emily fell back against the mattress, sighing contently when they followed her down. “I know you have to get back to work soon, in both senses of the word, but it’s nice to enjoy a moment like this isn’t it?”

“Luv, trust me,” Lena said, running her thumb along her cheekbone. “Soon as this is over we’re gonna take a _very_ long vacation, maybe for a few months or a year or something, and we are going to do _nothing_ but this. I promise you.”

“Taking a break from blowing everything up to spend a few months in a cabin somewhere isolated?” Emily smiled, squeezing her arm around her fiance. “That’s absolutely a promise.”

“I would appreciate you thinking of somewhere cold,” Amelie said, “It will be much more comfortable there. For me at least.”

“Yeah? And what are _we_ supposed to do then huh?”

“You wouldn’t leave the bed anyway, I’m sure you can think of some way to keep yourselves warm.”

Lena pouted. “You know…”

Amelie’s communicator began to ring, holding her finger up and hopping off the bed while she answered it. “Yes? What is it?”

“Amelie?” Gabriel asked, “Are you and Lena free to talk right now?”

“Yes, she’s right here with me. Patch her into the call.”

Lena pressed a kiss to Emily’s forehead before jumping up, crossing the room to where Amelie was standing and activating her commlink. “Hey mate, what do you have to tell us?”

Gabriel cleared his throat, “Marco Bartalotti is going to be in London tomorrow night, it’s the first time he’s exposed himself like this in months and it’s going to be the last time for the foreseeable future. It’s risky, but it’s the best chance you have of killing him.”

“He’s coming out?” Lena asked, “Do you know where he’s going to be?”

“I’ve got the hotel and room number all ready to go, just need to know if you’re good to go.”

“Yes, we are,” Amelie said, “After him only Dr. Kozlov stands in our way, then I can finally put this behind me.” She looked between Lena and Emily, eyes losing some of the edge they’d had before. “I can do this one alone if you wish.”

Lena shook her head. “No luv it’s just… why would he be coming out now of all times? With two of his coworkers being assassinated it’s obviously dangerous so… why?” Gabriel was silent, noticeably so. She narrowed her eyes. “Gabe?”

Gabriel sighed, “He’s coming to London because Amari and Morrison have been spotted in the area, I put a kill team together and I’m going to find them, which should hopefully keep them off your tail.” He could sense Lena about to start protesting, cutting her off before she could start. “You have your past to deal with, I have mine. I still don’t know for sure what I’m going to do so… let’s not, ok?”

Reluctantly she shut her mouth, thinking over what the proper thing to say actually was. “I… I dunno what happened between the three of you Gabe, I’m not gonna pretend I do. But just… just think before you do anything ok? Can you promise that?”

“No, I can’t,” He grunted, pausing before saying, “Focus on you, and what you need to do. Hotel Grand, penthouse suite. Good luck.”

The call disconnected, leaving them standing in the corner of the room trying to formulate exactly where they should start with a plan. The location was known, escape was likely easy, where would the easiest place for something to go wrong be?

“Um, girls?” They turned back to the bed where Emily was sitting, leaning forward with her chin on her knees. “I understand that you need to make a plan but… maybe you can do it over breakfast?”

Lena nodded, stomach rumbling at the thought of a plate of pancakes. “Yeah that sounds about right Em, what about you luv?”

Amelie nodded, linking arms with Lena and Emily. “I would say that sounds very good, let’s get started.”

 

“So…” Lena took a bite of her pancakes. “I’ve never been to the Grand, what are we lookin’ at?”

“It’s one of the more upscale hotels in London, the penthouse suite is a more recent addition. It’s not _the_ most prestigious hotel, so I will give him some points for subtlety, but not many.” Amelie took a sip of her coffee, going over what she remembered from her previous stays. “The windows are tinted on the outside, not bulletproof but they block thermal sensors. The suite is two stories, with a keypad entryway to the roof and helipad.”

“Hmm, I imagine they’ll have that one locked down tight huh?”

“Almost certainly, but they will be looking for an aerial attack, not for two women who have scaled the side of the building and crept behind them.”

Lena laughed, “Pretty ballsy luv! What else?”

“The only exits are via the front door and the rooftop, both of which will leave us exposed to civilians. I would recommend the rooftop, at least extraction will be fast.” She started on her own breakfast and shrugged. “Gabriel will tell us the details of his security tomorrow, for now we can just concentrate on entry and exit.”

“How are we going to get past the keypad?”

“A gun placed to a temple is fairly convincing, and if that fails we can always just blow the door off. Much less subtle, but much more direct.”

“And much more in line with the rest of your work so far,” Emily said, finally joining them at the table with a plate of her own. “Maybe you should hope for a plan that _doesn’t_ involve blowing something up?”

“We don’t _plan_ to do that, it just…. kinda happens.” Lena leaned across the table, poking her nose and smiling widely. “We don’t have to do anything until tomorrow anyway, we have plenty of time to plan out everything the right way. I have a really good feeling about this one!”

“I know, you’ll plan as much as you can,” Emily said, “You might seem like you don’t have a plan but I know that you’re not idiots, I wouldn’t be with you if I couldn’t appreciate how smart you really are. Just be careful, ok?”

“You got it Em, I’ll be as careful as I can. Besides,” She said, “I’ve got Ame watching my back, who better?”

Emily smiled, reaching over and taking Amelie’s hand. “That stands for you too, don’t go doing something stupid. I want the both of you to come back to me, nothing else.”

Amelie squeezed her hand, closing her eyes and smiling gently at the contact. “We will, I promise. I wouldn’t accept anything else.”

The three of them sat there in the silence, the smells of the kitchen wafting over them with the gentle wind, feeling so at peace they weren’t sure if they were even breathing at all. They let the moment go by uncontested, content to enjoy the simpleness of each other’s company before having to interrupt it for yet more necessary violence.

Lena clapped her hands together, snapping the other two out of their reverie and drawing their attention to her. “Enough of that then, what do you say we cuddle up and watch a movie or somethin’? Somethin’ nice and calm to relax to?”

Amelie and Emily nodded at each other, picking up their plates and walking towards the couch. “So long as we can pick _cherie,_ Emily has taught me to not trust your taste.”

“You know, I’m not such a fan of how you two gang up on me like this.” Lena pouted, catching up to Emily and hip checking her. “Might have to have a good long talk about this.”

“Oh we will pet, soon as we watch a good movie yeah?”

“God you’re such an arse!” She wound her arm with Emily’s, leaning close and putting her head on her shoulder. “So glad that I’m marryin’ ya.”

“So am I,” Emily said, sitting in the middle of the couch and enjoying the two of them snuggling up on either side of her. “So am I.”

 

“Boss this guy’s an idiot,” Sombra scoffed, crouching next to Gabriel on the rooftop opposite the hotel. “He exposed himself like this just so he could… what? Jerk off over the old ones dying?”

“He needs the closure, it’s stupid you’re right about that, but I understand it,” He grunted, scratching at his chin. “But I also know that I’m next on his list after the two of them, even if Amelie and Oxton weren’t planning on doing it already it’d just be smart to get rid of him.”

Sombra snorted, flicking through the surveillance feeds in the palm of her hand. “Sure, closure, that doesn’t mean he should have come here with anything less than a full strike force.”

“Hey, he got the best that he had. Only problem is that his best is far from good enough.”

“Then he should have grabbed all of them, not just…” She squinted down at the feed. “Twelve bodyguards and an Omnic sentry.”

“He could have bought out the rest of the hotel, stationed men in every room, maybe had a few reactivated bastion units on standby.” He smirked. “Not like I was going to tell him that though.”

Sombra kicked her legs against the edge, leaning on her hand while she closed the feeds with a sigh, “At least that makes the job easier, the sooner it’s over with the better.” She screwed her brow up, saying, “Hey boss? What are you going to do after they’re all dead? Marco and Kozlov I mean. What then?”

“What do you mean? Then I go back to work.” He shrugged. “Talon’ll still be useful to me, once it’s not I’ll burn it to the ground myself, but I’ll still be able to drag something out of it yet.”

“Even if Ame moves on?”

Gabriel nodded. “Yeah, even _when_ Ame moves on. She has something after all of this and I… don’t really. So I’ll keep doing what I do, until I find a reason to stop.”

“Hmm…” Sombra hopped up, walking to his side and poking his shoulder. “Well I’ll stay with, someone’s gotta make sure you keep your ass in one piece.”

“You don’t have to, you can go on and do… whatever the hell you’ve been doing these last few years.”

“I can do that here, no sweat.” She grinned, hopping around his back and onto his shoulders. “You’ve known exactly what I was doing since day one and never said a word, I think that earns you _some_ loyalty right?”

“Careful,” He replied, “Keep saying things like that and I might get the idea you actually like me.”

“Yeah it’d be terrible if your friends liked you wouldn’t it?” She pivoted on his shoulders, turning him around and starting their way back to the stairs. “Just take the compliment Gabi, god.”

“Fine, fine,” He laughed, “You know if you’re the only one sticking around that means you’re gonna have to do more work right?”

“Eh.” She grinned, hopping off his shoulders and shoving him to the side. “We can get to that later.”

 

Amelie disconnected the call, tossing a few spare magazines into her duffle bag and zipping it up tight. “That was Gabriel, we’re looking at twelve men and one Omnic, three men stationed on the roof and the rest indoors.”

“Twelve?” Lena asked, lacing up her boots and adjusting her vest. “That’s it?”

“Marco doesn’t think that there is any real danger, not when Gabriel is after what is considered to be the real threat. He will be available on comms if we come across anything unexpected, he and Sombra will come running right away. She’s going to be monitoring radio traffic anyway, you know how restless she is.”

“Sure it won’t come to that, but I won’t turn down backup.” Lena checked over her equipment, making sure she had her mask tucked away and her jacket was covering her accelerator. “We’re kitted up like a bloody swat team luv, this is cool.”

“I like an outfit that doesn’t make my chest cold, and I figured we wouldn’t want to be shot while we’re out doing this,” Amelie said, “We said we would be careful after all.”

Emily smiled, looking both of them over from where she lay on the couch. “And I very much appreciate that, last thing that we want is blood staining the floor, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry luv, no blood staining anything anytime soon.” Lena stopped, reconsidering her words before saying, “Well, not _ours_ at least, we’ll try not to track it in when we get back.”

“Lena,” Amelie said, pulling her bag onto her shoulder and nodding. “It’s time.”

Lena nodded in acknowledgment, taking Emily’s hand and pulling her to her feet. “We’ll be back in no time Em, don’t even worry about it. Soon enough we’ll all be relaxing in a cabin in… Alaska or somethin’, I dunno.”

“Oh how romantic,” Emily said, walking over to the window and standing with them. “I know I keep saying this but… please be careful, ok?”

“We will Em, not going away anytime soon.”

“I will protect her with my life,” Amelie said, taking her other hand. “You have my word.”

“Not just Lena, you too. You’re important to me as well, just as she is.” Emily leaned in, capturing her lips and leaving a lingering kiss in her wake. “I want _both_ of you safe, no matter what.”

Amelie closed her eyes, bringing Emily’s hand to her cheek and leaning into her palm. “Ok. We will come back to you, I promise.”

“We’ll be back before you know it Em.” Lena said, pressing a brief kiss to Emily’s lips and stepping back to the window. “I love you.”

“I love you too pet.” She looked up at Amelie. “And Ame…”

A silent look passed between them, both of them fully aware of how they felt about each other but not able to push those three simple words out. Instead they only smiled at each other, never breaking eye contact until she stepped out of the window.

And then she was alone.

 

“Wow you were not kidding, there’s seriously only three people on watch on the roof.” Lena put down her binoculars, huffing and placing her chin in her hands. “If you had your rifle they’d be out no problem, we’ve got at least five stories on them.”

“Unfortunately we need at least one of them alive,” Amelie replied, strapping on her grapple. “And though we are both very fast, we wouldn’t be able to grab the survivor in that time.”

Lena sat in the same spot Sombra had been only hours ago, kicking her legs against the wall and fiddling with her mask on top of her head. “Pretty exciting isn’t it luv? Here we are, so close to finishing the list I can almost _taste_ it. What do you think’ll happen?”

“After we kill all of them?” Amelie hummed, “There will be a power struggle at Talon, likely small scale battles around the world while those within try to claim the prize. Gabriel will handle what he can, and your friends at Overwatch will take care of the rest.”

She stepped up onto the edge, looking down at the rooftop and watching three of their targets pacing back and forth. “Everything is teetering on the edge of everything.”

“Hmm?” Lena grunted, getting to her feet. “What was that luv?”

“Just something I read once.” She took aim, firing her grapple into the building on the other side of the Grand. “I’ll read it to you once this is all over.”

They pulled their masks down onto their faces, Lena wrapped her arms around Amelie’s shoulders and braced herself for the inevitable descent. Stepping off into nothingness was always strange, that feeling of weightlessness right before gravity seemed to remember you existed, every organ inside your body shooting up into your throat while you plummeted to seemingly inevitable death. Every time it happened she barely resisted the urge to scream, even with her arms around the warrior goddess she called a lover it was still something that came to her as a pure, primal urge.

Even more so when the line straightened out, sending them sailing forward right towards the group of three guards who couldn’t hope to react in time. When Lena’s boots impacted with the leader’s chest, it wasn’t her who screamed.

Using him like a board, she sprung off his chest towards the guard closest to the door, hand already on his radio before she sent a bullet sailing straight through it, silencing his scream of pain with a forearm around his throat. She’d probably be hurting bad in the morning, her legs already screaming at her, but she figured that without a bullet in her hand or a completely sunken in chest she was doing rather well.

She was definitely in a better condition than the third member of the group, Amelie having wound the cord around his neck before she pressed the button to draw the line back in, the thick cord digging into his skin and crushing his throat easily.

Three down, ten to go, not counting Marco.

“Let… go of me… you… bitch!”

Lena rolled her eyes, slamming her chin down into the guard’s ear. “That’s not very nice mate, do what we want maybe you get out of this.”

“W-what do you want?”

She got to her feet, dragging him with her and slamming him against the wall in front of the door. Amelie pulled her knife out and pressed it into his side just enough to draw blood. “Enter the code correctly the first time or I will show you your liver.”

He nodded frantically, fingers shaking but sure as he pressed in the four digit code, keypad pinging positively and lighting up green. “There! Do whatever you want, I don’t want any part of this!”

“Good answer,” Lena said, tightening her hold around his throat and ignoring his kicking, not letting go until his body went limp. She dropped his body to the ground carelessly, shrugging at Amelie’s stare. “What? No real reason to kill him.”

“Fair enough, I was just thinking that compared to what Talon will do to him, that would be a mercy.”

“Then let them put in the effort.” Lena pulled out her pistol, opening the door slowly and scanning the stairwell below them. “I’ve got bigger things to worry about tonight.”

 

“We have entry.” Fareeha adjusted the radio in her vest, looking through the window of their stakeout point. “Should I tell everyone to move in?”

“No,” Jack replied, “Give them ten minutes, we want to make sure they have nowhere to go.”

She looked up at him, brows squeezed together while she thought over what he was saying. “But if we do that they’re going to kill the target.”

He nodded, stepping off and checking his visor once more for damage. “Maybe, maybe not. If they do then that’s one less problem we have to deal with in the long term.”

Hana shook her head, standing to meet him. “But… we should _stop_ their mission, that’s the entire reason we came here in the first place!”

“No, we came here to stop _them,_ not the scumbag they’re here to kill. Our priority is capturing them alive is possible, neutralizing them if necessary, an arms dealing relic of the old era is not our concern.” He huffed, strapping his visor on and running diagnostics. “Just be ready to move at my word, not a second before.”

They watched him walk from the room, considering calling in the order right then and there. But then they picked up their binoculars, shook their heads and resumed watch.

 

Even with a suppressor gunshots were still loud, Lena had learned that very quickly when she’d been ambushed the first time she went up against human targets back in Overwatch. A 9mm turned from a deafening crack to more of a sharp thump, enough to make you have to take a few seconds to realize what it actually _was_ and where it was coming from, but still recognizably a gunshot.

Which was why when she rounded the corner and came face to face with one of Marco’s bodyguards, rather than firing a shot and alerting everyone in the suite she removed her finger from the trigger, dropped low to the ground and tried not to wince when she felt his blood dripping onto the back of her neck.

Amelie removed the knife from his throat, taking him silently down to the ground and dragging him back around the corner. The large blood trail was a dead giveaway that something was wrong, but it was less of a red alert than an entire body out in the hallway.

“Very smart Lena, but you won’t have to worry about that in the next room.” Amelie slid herself along the wall, head peeking slowly around the corner and darting back before anyone could see her. “Seven men, one Omnic. Is your accelerator functional?”

“Yeah luv, ‘course.” Lena grinned, that same glint in her eye that she always got when there was a fight promised. “Which side you want me to take?”

“Right side, three of the men and the Omnic.” She kissed Lena’s forehead, pulling out another knife and placing it in her free hand. “I’m sure you can handle it.”

Lena nodded, a silent countdown passing between them before they exploded out from cover, Lena blinking forward and swiping the knife out to her left, passing by so fast that the blood from her first target’s neck didn’t even touch her as it sprayed out and painted the wall next to them, blade already well on its way to sinking into the second guard’s heart so hard that she felt the rib it glanced off crack under the force.

Pulling down roughly, she leveraged her weight to spin up into the air, pistol already pointed and four shots firing rapidly at the Omnic guard, the first three denting the armor around their central processing unit before the fourth tore its way through, thick armor on the back preventing its exit and sending it ricocheting around inside, completely destroying their interior.

The last of her targets barely had enough time to raise his weapon properly, Lena shifting her body to wrap her legs around his neck in her descent, twisting his neck as she fell down and around him, his legs flying out from under him as he was forced into a front flip. His back slammed against the wall, plaster cracking almost as loudly as his neck when he crashed down into the ground, the hardwood floor finishing the job on his spine that she had started.

Not one to be outdone, Amelie’s first move was to fling her knife with all her might into the lead guard’s eye, running shoulder first into him with all her weight and sending him flying back into two of his friends, ripping the knife out as she sprinted past him and stomped her foot down on the throat of one of the fallen, twisting her leg and snapping his neck.

A quick shot of her own pistol dispatched the other fallen, whipping it up and squeezing the trigger to send the last guards gun flying from his hand along with his index finger. To his credit he didn’t miss a beat, drawing his knife with his uninjured hand and rushing towards her, practiced swipes and stabs barely missing her suit as she dodged. Overextending his lunge towards her, Amelie grabbed his wrist, pulling him further and sinking her knife into his side, tearing it out and sinking it three more times into his back until he dropped his knife in pain. Taking advantage of his loss of footing, she flipped him over onto the ground, letting momentum carry her down and driving her knife into his heart.

They stood up, wiping blood from their faces and turning their heads to the main bedroom, double doors slamming shut and locking securely in front of them. Clearly the two surviving bodyguards weren’t too confident in their ability to take on the two intruders.

“Well, shit,” Lena said, breathing heavily and tapping her fingers against the reinforced wood. “Must be, what, an inch of steel in these doors? Can’t exactly shoot through it.”

“No,” Amelie said, walking up next to her and attaching a block to the corner of the door. “But these will get through it.”

Lena watched her attach another block, then another, until each side of the door had a footlong length of grey clay attached to it. “Ame… is that…”

“I knew you wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t blow _something_ up, so I asked Sombra to get me some breaching charges.” She made sure the charges were secure before grabbing Lena’s hand, dragging her around the corner from the door. “Would you like to do the honors?”

“Oh Ame,” Lena said, taking the detonator and blocking the ear closest to the corner. “You know me so well.”

The door was blown clean off its hinges, fragments of wood turning into shrapnel as the blast carried further into the room. One of the bodyguards was killed outright, back snapping from the concussive force and sending him flying into the desk, the other impaled with countless chunks of wood and left curled up in a ball in mute agony. Marco avoided the blast by diving behind the desk, but his ears were left with a deafening ring, not hearing anything else until he heard a muffled gunshot and footsteps approaching his position.

“ _Bonjour_ Marco,” Amelie said, grabbing handfuls of his jacket and hauling him to his feet. “It’s been a while.”

“What the fuck,” He yelled, falling back against the desk and scrambling his hands across the surface. “Do you have any idea how stupid what you’re doing is?”

“Yes, we do.” Amelie grabbed the bottom of her mask, lifting it up and letting it fall to the floor. “I know I’ve been thinking about it for quite a while.”

Marco turned white, nails grinding against the wood of the desk as he tried to crawl further away from her. She pulled him in, fist cracking against his cheek and sending him falling to the floor, foot planting itself in his stomach and flipping him onto his back.

“I’ve thought of almost nothing else these last few months, remembering every time you would look at me walking through the hallways as though I was some kind of _trophy,_ something that you could look at and be reminded that you had finally managed to _murder my husband._ ” Amelie stepped over, stomping down on his hand and splintering the bones in his palm. “You forgot that everything has a consequence.”

“What, you think I’m going to see you and regret everything I’ve ever done?” He rolled onto his side, clutching at his ruined hand. “I’ve killed hundreds, _thousands_ of husbands, wives, children! Gerard was just a little more personal than the others!”

Amelie roared in anger, fist crunching against his nose and smacking the back of his head against the floor. “You are not worthy to even say his name! You don’t deserve to have something so beautiful come out of your vile mouth!” She hit him again and again, jaw weakening and his teeth loosening with every strike. Lena only watched her do it, both of them needing this catharsis for the exact same reason. For the exact same people. For the husband that Amelie had lost, the friend that had been torn away from Lena, and for the innocent version of themselves that had been destroyed.

Lena watched every punch, every stomp, Marco’s face turning more and more bloody and more and more swollen, his hands still scrambling feebly to try and find some way to make Amelie stop, but there weren’t any to be found. There was just him, them, and fists.

So invested in watching, Lena almost didn’t notice her communicator ringing, but what she heard when she answered made her blood turn to ice.

“You two need to get out of there right the hell now!” Sombra sounded panicked, a red alert right off the bat. “You’re going to have company _real_ soon!”

“Sombra?” Lena asked, tightening her grip on her pistol and aiming at the door. “Who is it? Who’s coming?”

“It’s Overwatch! This whole thing was a goddamn set up!” By now Amelie was in on the call, and the expression she wore was no different. “You’ve got maybe a minute before they’re on you, so you need to get your ass in gear and disappear!”

Amelie nodded, stepping off Marco instantly and picking her mask back up. “We cannot risk being seen, _you_ cannot risk being seen. We are going _now_.”

Lena thought through their options, the front door obviously off limits, and the roof was likely being surveilled, that left…

She grinned, picking Marco up and pressing him against the window, glass dust falling on them from the cracks in the thick pane. “I read the file on your brother, read up on how he died.” His eyes widened in horror when he realized what she was going to do. “Guess you really _are_ following in your brother’s footsteps.”

Marco lurched forward in her grip, body snapping back suddenly as he was thrown through the glass, turning over in the air and watching the ground rush towards him. He made it ten stories down before he realized what was about to happen, another ten before he felt fear, by the time he started to open his mouth to scream the pavement was all he could see.

Then nothing.

 

A cursory glance to make sure they weren’t leaving anything was all they could spare, Amelie taking aim at the building across from them and sending her grapple out. Lena made sure her mask was secure before wrapping her arms around Amelie, the two women jumping out the window and starting their sweeping journey to escape, the rooftop of another hotel sweeping below them. The line was straightened out, their descent steady and level.

Right up until the report of a rifle sounded out and the line snapped in two.

The two of them plummeted instantly, the sheer shock of their sudden loss of control separating them and sending them end over end towards the rapidly approaching rooftop. Amelie landed feet first, managing to roll into the landing and avoid serious injury, though her legs still protested and were an inch away from breaking.

Lena however was not so lucky, landing backfirst on the concrete below and rolling into a wall, the accelerator being the only thing stopping her from being killed instantly. She lay there winded, leg sprained and her vision blurred, trying and failing to get to her feet to escape. When she fell face first back into the ground for the third time she knew it was a lost cause.

“Lena!” Amelie shrieked, sprinting over as soon as she saw where she was. “Lena, are you ok?”

“Yeah luv, yeah I’m…” She groaned, Amelie helping her into a sitting position against the wall. She looked down at her accelerator, the blue light flickering and pulsing, knowing more than enough about its functions to know that it was more or less dead. “I’m fine.”

“We need to go, we…” Amelie looked over her shoulder, hearing Fareeha screaming out orders in the distance. “We need to go _now._ ”

Lena shook her head. “That’s not happenin’ Ame, not like this. Best chance you’ve got is to just get out of here yourself.”

“ _Quoi?_ No, no absolutely not! I’m not going to just leave you-”

“They will _kill you_ if you stay!” Lena grabbed her shoulders, pulling her in close. “At least I… at least I have a chance, yeah?”

“Lena…” Amelie pulled her in, their lips crashing together desperately, the salt of tears mixing with the familiar taste of eachother. When they pulled back it was not without struggle, but Lena’s expression was absolute.

“Go.”

“I will not let them keep you, I will get you back!” Amelie stepped away, moving towards the edge of the building. “I… I love you Lena.”

Lena smiled, not letting her gaze drop for an instant. “I love you too Amelie.”

Amelie turned and sprinted towards the edge, leaping off and disappearing into the darkness, and suddenly Lena was all alone. She took a moment to listen to the silence, the steadily approaching footsteps and the encroaching sense of the inevitable. Unholstering her weapon, she tossed it far off to the side, not wanting to chance things anymore than were absolutely necessary.

“Jesus this hurts,” Lena groaned, sliding herself up the wall and slowly getting to her feet, limping forward steadily to get out into the open. She hadn’t been sure of the greeting they were going to give her, but it didn’t exactly come as a surprise when a boot was planted in her chest, sending her right back down to the ground with two guns pointed right in her face.

“Do not move,” Fareeha ordered, “Or I will fire.”

Hana stood next to her, Lena realizing that it was the first time that she’d seen an ordinary pistol in her hands. How surreal that it happened to be pointed at her.

“Jesus…” She groaned, shutting her eyes in pain. “You didn’t have to be so rough.”

“What?” Hana narrowed her eyes, finger lifting off the trigger when she felt something was _very_ wrong. “Why would…”

She leaned down, Lena taking a deep breath when Hana’s hand closed around the top of the mask, felt the material sliding up her face and revealing her to all the world.

Or at least, a part of what she considered to be her world.

Fareeha’s mouth dropped open, the gun almost following suit, whereas Hana stumbled back in shock. Neither of them could think of anything to say, couldn’t even remember how to speak in the first place, all they could think was that something, somewhere, must have gone completely, terribly wrong. Lena couldn’t think to begin to tell them just how right they were.

“Hey guys,” She said, smiling shakily. “Guess you’d better take me in huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Some pretty graphic violence, especially relating to the neck and eyes
> 
> Well. Shit.  
> Here it is, the inevitable. Only question is where it goes from here.  
> Please let me know what you think, I'm dying to know!
> 
> If you like my work you can follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) and Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter).
> 
> Until next time!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in end notes!

Amelie ran through the alleyways, bouncing off the walls in her haste to make it through to safety. Lena was alive, Lena was fine, she hadn’t heard any gunshots or anything to suggest otherwise, if she had she would have stormed back and killed whoever it was that was standing there, regardless of involvement.

All she could do was keep running, hoping that she or Sombra or _someone_ would be able to do something to help Lena. She’d given her so much, had given _all_ of them a reason to hope for the future, Amelie couldn’t allow her to be a prisoner for longer than was completely necessary, to allow such an incredible and caring woman to rot in a cell or be disgraced in public for all the world to see.

“Amelie!” Sombra’s voice carried through her commlink, “Are you alright? Have you been hit?”

Amelie nodded breathlessly, taking a few seconds to vocalise her answer. “I... I am alright! But they have Lena, they took Lena!”

“I know Ame, I know, I’m working on that right now,” She sighed, “Right now you just need to get to the rendezvous point, we can sort out the rest after.”

Amelie almost didn’t want to know the answer, but she had to ask, “Where are they taking her?”

“They’re taking her off the grid, I won’t know where until they get there.” Sombra stopped Amelie before she could panic further, “I’ll be able to see where she is every step of the way, the tracker in your communicator is high quality. I wouldn’t use anything else.”

“Alright…. Alright.” Amelie slowed herself, taking a deep breath and slowing her heart rate down. “I… I need to call Emily, she needs to know what is happening.”

“We can take care of that when you get here, for now just focus on that. And Amelie?” The line was silent for a moment, the atmosphere heavy between them. “I’m sorry, everything is going to be fine.”

“I hope so Sombra… I hope so.”

 

Emily almost dropped the phone when she heard the news, thoughts on Lena’s safety driving everything else from her mind and deafening her to the rest of Amelie’s speech. It wasn’t until repeated addresses that she snapped back to reality, knuckles white around the receiver and her teeth digging harshly into her lip.

“Emily? Are you listening to me?”

She nodded. “I-I am. What do you need me to do?”

Amelie paused for a moment, and within that three second silence Emily could _feel_ the regret that she had for asking this of her. “I need you to pack a bag with everything you need to live on, clothes, loose money, anything special to you that you can fit in that one bag. We need to leave tonight.”

“Ok,” Emily said, pretty much on auto-pilot. “What about my credit cards, I must have something on those that can help…”

“No, leave the cards behind, same with the passports. We’ll take care of everything once we need to, they’ll just be a liability. Before we leave we’ll dispose of your cellphones as well, but for now keep it on you in case something happens.”

“Ok I’ll… I’ll get a bag ready, I’ll be ready to go as soon as you come through the door, just tell me when!”

“We will, I swear Emily I’m going to have her back as soon as I can…” Amelie’s voice cracked, the full weight of what had happened finally crashing down on her. “I… I’m so _sorry_ Emily. If I had of known… I should have just done this alone.”

“Amelie... Lena knew full well what she was getting herself into, she didn’t want it to be like this and she would have killed to stop them from finding out, but she knew it was possible.” Emily smiled shakily, trying to find comfort in the resolve of the woman she loved. “You’re not responsible for this, you didn’t drag her into this anymore than Overwatch dragged her back to work for them.”

“But… _I_ am responsible for this, this entire mission was for _my_ revenge!”

“Technically you’ve known her far longer than I have, so this is strange for me to have to tell you, but Lena is a very stubborn woman. She believes in doing the right thing, no matter the consequences and no matter what has to be done.” Emily placed her hand against her heart, almost feeling it swell with pride. “She didn’t help you because you were in trouble… she helped you because it was the right thing to do.”

Emily was heartbroken that Lena had been captured, anxious for answers and utterly terrified of having to leave the country she had called home for almost her entire life, but she would be damned if she would allow Amelie to believe that this was her fault for even a second. Lena, for all her faults and imperfections, was physically incapable of not helping those in need, she had built her entire life doing so even after her own had been shattered in so many ways. To think that she could be so easily manipulated into doing something she wouldn’t have otherwise… it wasn’t just horrible for Amelie to think that she was responsible, it was utterly insulting to Lena.

“Don’t worry about me pet, just worry about getting Lena back.” She smiled, even though Amelie couldn’t see it. “Everything is going to be fine, I promise.”

“I hope so Emily, I really do… but honestly, I fear that she is most likely planning to do something very stupid.”

 

“Well,” Lena thought, “This whole plan turned out to be bloody stupid.”

She shook her head from side to side, trying to shake the hood on her face and stop the itches from the fabric. After a few minutes of justifiable shock from Fareeha and Hana, she’d been restrained with a hood on her head and dragged downstairs to a waiting van. She hadn’t seen his face, but Winston’s gasp of shock was all she needed to know that her identity was now known to everyone at Overwatch, there really was no going back now.

Both literally and figuratively, before her accelerator could self-repair and recharge she could feel the cold chill of the timestream when Athena took control of its functions. Whatever chance she’d had to escape was gone, at least for now, all she could do for the rest of the drive was sit and feel her friends’ eyes burning a hole into her.

She bounced uncomfortably with every turn the van took, the magnetic cuffs around her wrists digging into the skin and jamming into her back. After the fourth turn her eyelid was starting to twitch in annoyance, teeth clenched while she tried in vain to twist her wrists in some way to get more comfortable.

“Probably a big ask but,” She asked, “Don’t suppose any of you could loosen the cuffs a little?”

Silence was her answer, the atmosphere in the van only getting heavier.

Lena sighed, “Yeah, guess I deserve that one.”

Though this was definitely up there in terms of worst case scenarios, Lena could at least take some comfort in the fact that Amelie had managed to get away, their odds of survival would have been drastically lowered if she had remained by her side. If Amelie had been killed… Lena didn’t know what she would have done, and quite honestly that scared the hell out of her.

Maybe she could have dragged herself further, maybe she could have kept going until she collapsed from sheer exhaustion once they were safe. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

Maybe the reason she was sitting here to begin with was because a part of her just wanted to get it over with, to stop having to lie to her friends about who she really was with every breath she took, to stand tall and look them in the eyes and say, “This is me, this is what I am.”

Maybe it was fate, maybe it was happenstance, or maybe it was just complete bad luck that brought her life crashing down around her ears. Whatever the reason was didn’t really matter in the end, just the results.

“Do you know why I did it?” She asked, looking up at the vague silhouette of Fareeha. “C’mon luv, I can see a little through this hood, just talk to me? Please?”

“Lena just…” She could see the way Fareeha’s shoulders slumped, clearly trying to keep her emotions in check. “Just stop talking. We can talk later but right now I… I can’t.”

“Yeah…” Lena said, lurching forward in her seat as the van finally came to a stop. “Yeah, fair enough Reeha.”

The door opened, rough gloved hands grabbing her around the shoulders and pulling her out. Lena stumbled at first, feet dragging against the concrete before she regained her footing, the hum of traffic off in the distance. She didn’t know where she was, but she was definitely still in the city itself, not that that was necessarily a good thing, in a city the size of London there were thousands of places where you could hide someone.

Through the hood she could see the faint outlines of light, bright hallways marking her way down further into the complex. She could get a general idea of where she was being led, but no more than knowing the series of lefts and rights that she was pushed and shoved through by her guide. As to who her guide was, well, she had at least two ideas for who _they_ could be, but she didn’t want to start throwing her feet around if it turned out to be one of her friends. The rough treatment could easily just be down to Fareeha or Hana being royally pissed off at her, which given the circumstances was absolutely an understandable reaction.

“In here,” Her guide ordered, confirming her suspicion that it was none other than Jack Morrison himself. She clenched her teeth, temper already flaring as she stopped in place and shrugged.

“In where mate? I can’t fucking _see anything._ ”

Lena could tell that he rolled his eyes, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her through a door to her left, turning her in place and shoving her down into a waiting chair. The magnetic cuffs around her wrists reacted instantly, humming briefly as they snapped into place at the base of the chair, locking her in and not giving her an inch of wiggle room.

“Well here we are,” She said, “Why don’t we just get it over with yeah?”

The hood was removed from her head, Lena blinking hard against the explosion of sudden light. Morrison looked down at her, tossing the hood off to the side while he pulled up a chair of his own. Angela was stood against the wall, hand over her mouth and her eyes wide while she stared at Lena’s face, horror written clear on her face.

“Lena?” She gasped, “What… what did you do?”

“Somethin’ real stupid it turns out, when am I doing anything else?” Lena ducked her head, trying to ignore the feeling from her gaze. “I’m sorry you have to be here.”

“We figured that you wouldn’t be caught uninjured,” Ana said, closing the door behind her. “And we weren’t going to be able to find you when you weren’t attacking a target. We needed someone on the team who could patch you and your target up once we were done.”

“Unfortunately we underestimated how… effective you were.” Morrison shrugged. “I would have liked to interrogate Marco, but you still did us a pretty big favor tonight.”

“Oh?” Lena scoffed, “Not soundin’ like one of the good guys Morrison, might wanna check that.”

“You’re one to talk, running a series of deniable ops? Blowing up half of London?” He shook his head. “You lied to your friends, you betrayed everything you stood for. Only question now is _why?_ ”

“You think I betrayed what I stood for?” Lena clicked her tongue in disapproval, activating her commlink and opening the line to everyone connected. “Nah mate, what I did, what I’m _doing,_ it’s all been a long time coming. I never betrayed anything.”

“Oxton?” Sombra said, “Can you hear me? Are they watching you right now?”

Lena tilted her head at Ana, narrowing her eyes and saying, “Why you looking at me like that?”

“Like what Lena?”

“Like I’m something got stuck on the bottom of your shoe,” She huffed, “You could at least pretend that you’re not happy that it was me that you caught.”

“I’m not happy Lena, far from it. I was hoping that you wouldn’t have been so foolish to do something like this, that my daughter would have a smarter best friend than that.” Ana moved forward, stopping in front of Lena and crossing her arms. “I was wrong.”

“Alright,” Sombra said, “Alright I’m going to see if I can find where you are, just stall them and… I dunno, ask me some questions if you can while you wait.”

Lena laughed, both because of Ana’s answer and the whole ridiculousness of the situation. “Alright luv, sure. Where am I then? Don’t recognize this as any of the bases I’ve ever been to.”

“It’s off the books, and I intend to keep it that way,” Morrison said, “There’s hundreds of these sites around the city, you won’t figure out which one it is.”

Sombra cleared her throat, Lena somehow able to _hear_ the self-satisfaction in her key taps. “It’s an old Blackwatch site, used for interrogation and prisoner transfer. You’re about ten kilometers south of the hotel, in the lower district.”

“And if I did figure it out? What good would that do? Where would I go if I knew that?”

“Heading east about five kilometers will get you to the pier, we’ll be there waiting for you when you get out. I’m working on your restraints and your accelerator now, I just need you to be patient.”

Lena shook her head, cutting off any answer that Morrison would have given her to her question. Instead she figured she would ask them an _actual_ question this time. “How is everyone? I mean… those that know at least.”

“Reinhardt is shocked, Hana and Fareeha feel betrayed.” He nodded over at Angela. “Angela is plain to see.”

She closed her eyes. “And Winston?”

“Heartbroken,” Ana answered, “He can’t believe that you would choose to work with _her_ than the rest of us. Quite frankly I can’t either.”

“I don’t give a good shit what _you_ believe!” Lena hissed, hands squeezing into fists behind her back. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down before she continued speaking, “Anyone else?”

“Jesse came to us last night,” Angela said, finally willing herself to speak. “He was acting strange, in hindsight I suspect that he already felt something was going on with you.”

“Did you know that he was injured recently?” Ana asked, “He’d recently broken several of his ribs in the Dorado riots, the riots that _you_ had a hand in creating.”

Lena bowed her head, feeling remorse not for the first time that night. “Is he ok now?”

“Yes,” Angela said, “Once I set his ribs properly and told him what an _imbecile_ he was for trying to do it himself.”

“Good, that’s good.” Lena smiled. “What we did had to be done but… I never wanted my friends to get hurt in the process.”

Angela recoiled, mouth falling open in shock. “Had to be done? Lena… people died in those riots, a _lot_ of people!”

“None that the world will ever miss. You read through the files, you saw the videos, do you think that the world would be better with those people free? With those people in _power?_ ”

“So your solution is to just… to just _execute them?_ With no trial, no due process?” Angela shook her head sadly. “Do you really not believe in what we do _that much?”_

“I think that what we did together was amazing Angie. We changed the world we… we _protected_ people,” Lena sighed, “But it just isn’t enough, we’re not protecting people anymore we’re just… trying to pick up what’s left of them.”

“But that funeral, you _saved_ a mother and her children that day, and you did it all with the rest of us!”

“Three people! Out of how many that were there? How many other people were butchered there that day because we couldn’t get there in time?” Lena leaned forward, trying to get as close to Angela as her cuffs would allow. “We never act, we always just… _react._ We’re always two steps behind the bad guys because we can’t go after them first and call ourselves heroes!”

“What convinced you Lena?” Morrison watched her closely, looking for any clue to what she was thinking. “What flipped your switch and made you decide to go full criminal?”

“Honestly mate?” She fixed her gaze on him, anger burning in her hazel eyes. “It goes _way_ back. Every time we did something good, or something that made the headlines, something always went wrong at the same time that no one talked about. We stop Talon getting some busted up antique weapon? Hooray, let’s pat ourselves on the back. Not twenty kilometers away Omnics are being snatched up and shipped off to never be seen again, no one bats an eyelid.”

She slumped back in her chair. “I save a few people from muggers, maybe stop a robbery or two, I get a few cheers and a free beer at the pub. Meanwhile some poor bastard bleeds out in an alleyway because no one was there to protect him. But who notices?”

“You can’t be there to protect everyone Lena,” Angela said, just stopping herself from reaching out and squeezing Lena’s shoulder. “Even with time on your side, you can’t get there in time for everyone.”

“That’s right, I can’t.” Lena nodded. “Which is why I figured it’d be better to kill the person who’s doing the hurting in the first place. And I don’t mean just some random street thugs in dark alleyways, but there were a couple of those, I mean the people who _really_ did the hurting. I mean… I mean the people that hurt _me._ ”

“Talon.” Morrison nodded. “You decided to go after Talon because of _her._ ”

“You can say her bloody name you know, it’s not going to burn you. But yeah, me and Amelie decided to go after Talon. I’d say we did a pretty good job, wouldn’t you?”

“You murdered people Lena, you can’t hide behind duty this time. You took it upon yourself to become judge, jury and executioner.”

“Oh come on Angie, don’t tell me that you never thought about it yourself. I remember the long nights, the countless troopers you had to piece back together because of whatever power grab they were making against us.”

“Of course I did! I saw so many good men and women die pointless deaths because of _their_ evil, but that was not my call to make!” She turned back to her desk, leaning her hands on the metal to steady her breathing. “Those people deserved to be arrested and tried, to be paraded around the public eye so that _everyone_ knew what they did. _That_ is what I wanted!”

“And what were we doing about it?” Lena yelled, Angela flinching at her words. “What were we doing other than rescuing a few puppies and patting ourselves on the back?” She looked towards Ana and Morrison, sneer back on her face. “When were we following our duty properly and doing everything we could to make sure everyone was safe? When were we doing _anything_ to make a change?”

“You should have talked to everyone if that’s how you felt,” Morrison said, “You can’t keep something like this down and expect the team to function.”

At that Lena laughed, head falling forward and tears falling from her eyes. “That’s bloody rich coming from you of all people! Where’ve you been the last seven years? Living a fully legal and cooperative life? You know every time I see the two of you I swear you have more and more scars, do you get those volunteering for the red cross?”

“We don’t claim to be part of this…”

“No, you just want us to bow down and treat you like you’re still boss whenever you show your face. You just want all the cooperation but you don’t want to put in any of the actual work.” She raised her eyebrows. “How close am I then? Hot? Cold?”

Ana rolled her eye. “As much as you would like to turn this around on us to make some sort of point, we never rejoined Overwatch. We chose a new mission, and we certainly didn’t commiserate with the enemy to do so.”

Lena remained silent as Ana knelt in front of her, looking into her eyes and frowning deeply. “How could you possibly trust her again Lena? After everything she did to us, to _me…_ after everything that she did to _you._ ”

“Ana…” Morrison warned, already having an idea on how Lena felt.

“She betrayed us Lena, whether you want to accept that or remain blind is up to you, but that is what she did.” She rested her hand on Lena’s knee, squeezing down in something resembling comfort. “She’s just going to betray you again once this is all over, just as she did before.”

“ _She_ betrayed us?” Lena said, voice low and burning with anger. “ _She’s_ the one who turned her back on us? _She’s_ the one that I shouldn’t trust? What about you? What about all the ways that _you_ betrayed us?”

“I didn’t betray you Lena…”

“Yeah? What would you call running away when we needed you most? What would you call abandoning your duty and your daughter all because you lost _one_ battle?” Lena growled, shaking her hand off and continuing, “So you got shot in the eye, boo-fucking-hoo! We’ve all been shot before, we didn’t spend the rest of our lives crying about it! Half of us’ve lost body parts, what gives you the right to be the one to run away?”

“Easy Oxton,” Morrison warned, “I know this is stressful but I recommend you mind your words.”

“The last thing that my eye ever saw was one of my closest friends revealing her deception and aiming to kill me.” Ana stepped back, squeezing her hand into a fist. “I was the first to experience that, there was no prior warning on her identity before her round tore through the side of my head. I’m sorry you can’t appreciate the severity of that shock.”

“Yeah, I can luv. Because you disappeared, because you _ran_ like the coward that you are, none of us were ever given that warning until we had to face her on the battlefield for the first time.” Lena looked over at Angela, wearing a similar scowl to herself. “Angie can tell you all about how that went, you know how many of us were hit because we just couldn’t believe it was her? How many times do you think I’ve had to experience the woman that I was in love with putting bullets through my stomach, or snapping my arms when she tossed me off some rooftop. We never ran away, we stuck through it because it was _our job._ ”

Ana looked away, the wall suddenly much more interesting than what Lena had to say. The pinch in her brow and the deepening scowl on Morrison’s face told her that she was treading on very thin ice, but she was tired of having to constantly hold her tongue. One way or another, after tonight her life was pretty much over. She’d be damned if she didn’t let them know _exactly_ what she thought of them before that happened.

“You talk so much about duty, about protecting your family, but when the time came it didn’t take much for you to abandon both of them! You decided that your ego was more important than your family, so you turned tail and ran at the first bruise! You pathetic fucking coward!”

Morrison lunged forward, knuckles cracking against her cheek and snapping her head to the side. Angela shouted in surprise, jumping between them and dragging his arm away from her, Morrison only looking down at his hand in shock.

“I will not allow you to hurt her Jack, regardless of what she has done!” She shoved him back roughly, leaning down to check Lena’s face. “I do not agree with what she has done, but I’m beginning to more than agree with what she has to say about you!”

Lena snarled, shaking her head and brushing away Angela’s hand, jolting herself forward in a futile effort to get at the two soldiers. “And _you,_ you miserable, bitter old cunt! You have the balls to think that you’re still in charge of something, after everything that _you’ve_ done? You leave me floating in nothing for _months,_ you butcher every chance we have to do _anything_ against Talon, you fuck things up so badly that we have to get shut down completely, and you think we’ll just let you lead us into it again?”

“I did the best I could with what I was given!” He shouted, “Trying to clean up the mess inside and out, dealing with people close to us being killed left and right, no one else was capable of doing it!”

“Yeah and what did you do once it went wrong? You ran, just like she did! Boy you two were just a match made in heaven weren’t you? All ready to leave us high and dry when we need a leader, then once we’ve finally made something of this mess you come right back in, all kitted up in your dress blues, ready to make all the same mistakes and take _none_ of the responsibility!” Lena spat as hard as she could at him, blood splattering across his shoes and a red hot fury burning in each word as she said, “The world was a better place when we thought that the two of you were dead.”

Morrison shook his head, stepping back and running his hand down his face to calm himself. “We’re not getting anywhere with this, let’s leave her to stew for a while.” He turned to Ana, flicking his head towards the door and taking her arm. “Come on, we’ve got time.”

“You going to go check on Fareeha? You going to see how she’s handling all of this?” Lena laughed bitterly, watching their backs as they walked through the door. “Nah, didn’t think so.”

Ana paused, looking back at her sadly and shaking her head. “You were always one of the best that we had, it saddens me to see you like this.”

“Don’t be,” She replied, “In three months me and Amelie helped the world more than you have in seven years. If what I’ve done was wrong, what does that say about you?”

She didn’t receive an answer, the two of them leaving before another word could be spoken. The door shut and left Lena alone with Angela, who was busying herself making sure that Lena’s cheek was not broken. They were silent at first, Angela trying to focus on something other than the fact that one of her closest friends had for all intents and purposes become a terrorist, while Lena was trying to think of something that she could say to just… make everything better between them.

“Why did you have to do this Lena?” Angela asked, “I know you think you had good reasons but… Ana is right, how could working with _her_ be anything other than a betrayal?”

“I didn’t betray you luv, you gotta believe me on that.” Lena’s expression turned almost pleading, all hints of her previous anger evaporating as she tried to get her friend to just _listen_ to her. “Amelie was ready to leave Talon, we were going to make sure that she could. We were going to take them down, wait a while until everything died down and I could explain everything…”

“I don’t know what happened, but the Amelie that we knew… the Amelie that we _thought_ we knew is gone Lena, this path would lead you to nothing but pain. I don’t know what her motive is but as much as I don’t want to believe it she is _using_ you, as soon as she has what she wants she’s just going to toss you aside, and I don’t want to see what happens to you when that time comes.”

“You’re wrong Angie, you’re all wrong about her. She managed to come back, after everything that happened she managed to come back.” Lena set her jaw, determination overwriting any lingering doubt. “I’m going to make sure that she gets a chance, no matter what it takes.”

Angela leaned back, closing her eyes in pain and sighing, “Then you are lost, and there is nothing that I can do for you.” She stood up, turning away and walking towards her desk. “I need to finish up my notes but please just… don’t talk anymore. This is hard enough as it is.”

Lena hung her head, knowing that elsewhere in the building everyone else on the team was likely having this exact same conversation. She didn’t like knowing that she was the topic of conversation with everyone, but given what she had done she didn’t see it as much of a surprise, if it was anyone else in her position she would probably have been doing the exact same as them. The rest of them were good at their jobs, they _cared_ about justice, whatever the outcome was in their decision it likely wasn’t one that ended with her walking free. She couldn’t accept that, not yet.

Not when she still had so much to take care of.

“ _R_ _á_ _pida,_ you there?” Sombra’s voice sounded in her ears once more. “I’m in, but since everyone knows it was you they’re going to be purging Athena’s systems looking for any holes that need plugging, if we’re going to do this we need to do it now.”

Lena hummed, careful not to let Angela hear. If she did she showed no signs of responding.

“Good, I can deactivate the cuffs and Athena’s hold on your accelerator then switch off the cameras, but as soon as I do that I’m going to be locked out. After that you’ll have maybe three minutes where you can make it out before they snatch you up again, got it?”

“Ok,” Lena said, “Ok.”

“Alright,” Sombra said, a few seconds passing before she signed off with, “Good luck.”

Lena felt relief come instantly, her cuffs separating and letting her arms move freely, the chill of the timestream becoming distant as her accelerator hummed to life and began repairing itself. Angela didn’t notice anything wrong, still working with her front to the door while Lena stood and grimaced to herself.

“I’m sorry Angela,” She said, sprinting forward and wrapping her forearm around Angela’s neck, taking her to the ground as softly as she could as she squeezed harder.

“Lena!” She yelped in surprise, protests dying in her throat as her airway was constricted and she began to pass out. Lena was near tears while the seconds ticked by, Angela’s movements growing more limp and her fighting beginning to slow.

“I’m sorry Angie, I’m so sorry,” Lena sobbed, “I’m going to make everything better again, I’m going to make the world _safe_ for everyone. But… but I can’t do it with the rest of you.” Angela looked up as best she could, eyes pleading for her to just stop and think about what she was doing.

Lena shook her head. “You’ll wake up in a few minutes, just… just go to sleep ok? Just go to sleep and let this all go by.”

Her eyes rolled back in her head, body finally going limp and her head resting against Lena’s chest. Lena rolled her off gently, tucking her into the recovery position before wiping at her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly while she thought for a moment. It was too late to do anything else now, she’d chosen her course the moment she’d stood from the chair. She’d chosen her course from the moment she’d gone looking for Amelie in the first place.

She paused at the door, opening it a crack and looking out to make sure the hallway was clear. Lena remembered each of the turns that she’d needed to take to get out, the only question was if she could get there without anyone seeing her, the cameras were down but that didn’t mean everyone wasn’t going to be alerted to something happening.

Ducking out and keeping her footsteps as silent as she could, she padded her way through the brightly lit hallway, hoping on every straightaway that no one else would come stumbling across her. She’d already had to choke out one of her closest friends, she wasn’t aiming to do that again any time soon. When footsteps began to echo from around the corner she threw herself to the left desperately, just managing to close the door to a maintenance closet before Fareeha and Hana ran by, the alert obviously directing them towards Angela’s temporary office where she had been held.

That just gave her another incentive to escape, she definitely didn’t want to be the object of Fareeha’s anger when she found out Lena had laid hands on her girlfriend. Even though they were best friends Lena didn’t count her odds of survival very high in that case.

Another few turns and she would be out, feet carrying her around each bend until she could almost hear the distant thrum of London traffic, the air starting to get cooler as the breeze from the outside drifted in. Knowing she was close she sped up, almost sliding around the corner…

And right into Jesse’s revolver, the cold metal digging into her forehead as she skidded to a stop. The only thing preventing her from rewinding was the desperate look in Jesse’s eye and the cold chill of his threat as he said, “Don’t try and blink Lena. Even with how fast you are…” He cocked the hammer. “I’m faster.”

“Alright mate, alright,” She said, raising her hands slowly. “Let’s just… be calm alright?”

“It’s him, ain’t it?” He asked, “Reyes, you’re working with him?”

Lena wanted to lie, even though she knew he would see right through it. He wouldn’t ask if he didn’t already know the answer, he wouldn’t even _know_ Gabriel’s identity and not be able to figure out that she’d been working with him.

“Yes,” She said, deciding not to insult his intelligence. “Yeah, I’ve been working with him.”

“And Sombra, and Amelie obviously.” He shook his head, revolver shaking in his hand. “The hell were you _thinkin’_ Lena? You were workin’ with the same people as me, you read the same files as we all did, you know how bad the shit we were doin’ was! What the hell made you think bringin’ that back was a good idea?”

“I… It wasn’t like that...”

“The hell it wasn’t!” He yelled, “I lost my goddamn _soul_ in Blackwatch! I wake up screamin’ when I remember some of the things that I did back then, don’t tell me that what you were doin’ wasn’t leading you down that exact same road!”

“Well someone had to do something!” She shouted, perhaps unwisely given that there was a gun pointed at her head, but she couldn’t just remain silent. “Blackwatch was bad, but Talon was so much worse, and they never went away! They just… they just got more powerful, they just took more things away from everyone. I couldn’t just… I couldn’t just stand by and do _nothing!_ ”

“Why?” He asked, “Give me a real goddamn answer, not whatever you would have fed the soldiers down there. Are you doing it for the world? Are you trying to be the hero that everyone needs and that can go to sleep at night knowin’ they did the right thing?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Or are you doin’ it for _her?_ ”

Lena was speechless, for the first time that night she’d been given pause on something. She honestly hadn’t thought about the reason, she’d just known that it was something she had to do. Saving people was always part of the goal, but she couldn’t think of that as the motive now that she thought about it. Helping Amelie get revenge was a large part of it, but it was the exact same as before, she couldn’t pinpoint a single moment where that could have been her singular motive.

But then she thought about the months after she had lost Amelie, the countless nights spent at the bottom of a bottle in some of the worst bars in London. The meaningless hookups to try and feel again, the thick film of miserable inebriation broken up by brief periods of blinding rage, what moments she could be lucid spent firing rounds into targets, fantasizing that one day she would have the people who had done this to her on the other end of her sights. The more she thought about that, the more she _remembered_ those feelings, the more clear it became.

“No,” She said, “I’m doing it for me. I’ve always been doing it for me I guess.”

His eyes widened, his grip on the revolver slacking while he absorbed her answer. After what felt like the longest few seconds of her life he removed the gun from her forehead, decocking the hammer once it wasn’t pointed at her anymore. Jesse pointed behind him and said, “The door’s that way, now get the fuck outta here. And once you do you grab her, you grab Emily and you leave all this shit behind you, you understand?” That look entered his eyes again, that same desperation that she could almost recognize as _fear._ “Don’t end up like me and Morrison, just a couple of old fucks who still think they can play soldier.”

She walked past him slowly, shaking her head as she squeezed his shoulder. “I’ve always been a soldier Jesse… I just… didn’t know what that meant until recently.” Her accelerator hummed, blue light coming back stronger than ever and telling her that repairs had been completed. Lena looked back at him, absorbing every detail of his face as they looked at each other for what felt like the last time.

“Goodbye.”

She blinked away, leaving Jesse reaching out into nothing as he tried to get one last touch of his friend. He squeezed his hand closed, feeling the air where she had just been and looking at his fingers, standing still and realizing that his friend was _gone._

Jesse growled, teeth clenching so hard they came close to cracking before he turned on his heel, a ferocious roar ripping from his lungs as he hurled his revolver against the wall, the plaster tearing apart and showering the floor below. His fist slammed into the wall a second later, dull pain shooting up his arm and throbbing while he leaned his forehead against the cool surface.

“Goddammit…”

 

“She’s on the move,” Ana said, watching the dot moving on the screen, the tracker they’d planted in her jacket working perfectly. “She just left the complex and she’s moving east.”

“Good,” Morrison replied, taking a seat at his desk and leaning on his hands. “Soon enough all of this is finally going to be over.”

“I won’t fail,” She said, gathering her rifle and slinging it onto her back. “In a few hours Lena will be back here in a cell where she belongs, there won’t be any second chances after that.”

“And once she goes to Widowmaker, what about her?”

“Her?” Ana said, briefly touching her eyepatch. She flexed her hand, feeling the anticipation building in her trigger finger.

“Her… I’m going to settle a score with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Interrogation, brief violence thereof  
> Well things just keep getting worse and worse don't they? Where will they go from here? Is there light at the end of this tunnel? You'll just have to wait and see, but I am DYING to know what you think!
> 
> You can follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) or on Twitter [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter) if that takes your fancy.
> 
> Until next time!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings in end notes!

Amelie stumbled through the door of the office, not wasting a second on greetings before saying, “We need to be prepared _now,_ as soon as Lena gets here we need to pick up Emily and we need to get out _tonight.”_

Gabriel held his hand up, gesturing for her to take a moment to calm herself. “She’s on the way, I’ve got the ship ready to go as soon as she gets here. For now I’d just say that you should sit tight, get yourself under control and think about what you’re going to do after this, alright?”

“Alright,” She said, undoing the straps on her vest and dropping it to the ground. “Alright. Did you talk to her?”

“No, Sombra did.” He smiled, pride clear in his expression. “Apparently your girl gave Amari and Morrison a piece of her mind, guess she figured she had nothing to lose.”

“Yes that… that sounds like her.” Amelie let herself fall into a nearby chair, placing her head in her hands and groaning, _“Merde,_ how did things end up this way?”

“Because we’re a part of the shadows, and she is not.” Gabriel crouched next to her, shaking his head. “Or at least she wasn’t, but that was her choice to make. We can do what we do because we don’t have anything else, she had a life, a woman that she loved, she had a world to protect. But the things that people like us do, for whatever reason… we can’t be around other people Amelie, no matter how much we want to be.”

“And I have taken that away from her…”

“No, you didn’t. She knew the risks, but she knew how important the mission was as well. Her choices were her own, don’t invalidate that.” He rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing down on the tense muscles. “Don’t worry, we’ll get the three of you out of here. The mission against Talon can wait, right now our priority is keeping you safe.”

She nodded, reaching up and grabbing his hand, wrapping her other arm around him and pulling him close. “Thank you Gabriel. I don’t know where we would be without you, or even if there would be a ‘we’ but… thank you, for being a friend.”

He was still for a moment, not sure at first of what he was supposed to do with the sudden embrace. Soon enough he relaxed, allowing himself an easy smile and rubbing his hand in circles along her back. “Don’t thank me yet kid,” He said, “I’ve still gotta get you to safety.”

“And you will,” She replied, smiling up at him. “You will.”

Gabriel stayed there for a few more moments, taking a second to enjoy the feeling of being so close to someone he held so dear. If he closed his eyes he could almost pretend that it was ten years earlier, when the world felt sane and his allegiances were clear, but they weren’t. What he had before was lost, all he could do now was make do with what he had now, but looking into eyes that had been so empty yet were filled with so much care now, knowing what was coming to join them and what awaited them in the future, he couldn’t help but think that maybe the present wasn’t so bad after all.

“Come on, get yourself cleaned up,” He said, patting her shoulder and standing up. “She should be here soon, we’ll be watching every step of the way.”

“And where do we go from there?” She asked, “What’s our next stop?”

“I don’t know,” He answered, looking back at her and shrugging. “How about Venice?”

 

“Hey Sombra, next time I try and do something stupid like this do me a favor,” Lena grunted, jumping over a fallen trashcan like it was a hurdle. “Tell me to pull my head out of my arse and stop.”

“Aw but that’s the best thing to watch you do,” She replied, not bothering to hide her chuckle. “Seeing you two try to push yourselves through some crazy shit was the highlight of my week.”

Lena rolled her eyes, ducking through a narrow alleyway into a parking garage and weaving her way through the cars. “I’m sure it was a real riot watching us on that rig huh? I was picking glass out of my back for the next bloody week!”

“What can I say? It’s nice seeing Ame having to work with someone _else_ who constantly raises the alarm.” She clicked her tongue and it was clear to Lena that she was grinning. “I used to think that I didn’t have a chance with her but now I’m not so sure…”

“Alright, I know this is gonna sound weird comin’ from _me_ of all people,” Lena giggled, “But we’re not sharin’ right now.”

“Aww you’re no fun,” She said, “Give me time, once we get the three of you here I might be able to work my charms.”

“Yeah, sure mate, we’ll see about that.” She flung her legs over the railing, dropping quietly to the street one story below and landing in a crouch. Her jaw still ached from where Morrison had punched her, ribs bruised and cracked from falling onto the roof below the hotel, fingers cut up and knuckles purple from countless blows landed and blocked. But what pained her the most was the sinking feeling in her chest, the kind that you only ever got when you felt that you had truly, irreparably screwed things up for you and everyone else around you. The sudden flaring of feeling was enough to almost send her to her knees, stumbling her last step into the wall of the alley and clutching at her throat to try and control her breathing.

“Ox? You alright?” Sombra asked, “Something happening?”

Lena shook her head, fighting her urge to vomit while she leaned onto her knees. “I fucked everythin’ up didn’t I? Things were good and I just had to go and stick my nose into something that I shouldn’t’ve huh?”

“You want me to tell you that you did the right thing? That there’s always a plan that we can fall back on that makes everyone forgive us and make everything go back to normal?” She clucked her tongue, shaking her head to herself. “I can’t do that, I haven’t done the _right_ thing in years now.”

“But everything you’ve done…”

“Needed to be done, but there’s a difference between doing the right thing and doing what needs to be done,” She said, “But you’re probably starting to understand that for yourself aren’t you?”

Lena ran her hand down her face, breathing gently into her palms. “Do you think that they’ll ever be able to forgive me?”

“Honestly Ox? I have no idea,” She said, “I didn’t get forgiven, but now they’re gone and I’m not, and when I think back to everything I don’t think we ever really meant that much to each other anyway. But for you and yours...”

“Sombra?” Lena asked, furrowing her brow. “You alright?”

“...if you really mean as much to them as you think you do, if they love you as much as you love them, I think that one day yeah, they might forgive you.”

She smiled sadly. “I hope so Sombra, I really do. I just want to be able to tell Fareeha and everyone else that I’m sorry, you know?”

“And you will, you will,” She laughed, “Let’s just make sure it’s a few months from now, not ten minutes yeah?”

Lena straightened up, brushing her hands off on her pants and giggling, “No promises, you’ve seen how shite my luck is lately.” She took a deep breath, exhaling gently through her nose and slapping her cheeks. “We’ll be able to talk again someday, someday they’ll understand why I did this. Just… might be a bit weird.”

“Ox… when are things _not_ weird with you?”

“You know, you got a point there,” She said, grinning to herself. “But I’m still gonna kick your arse when I get there.”

 

High above her, hidden in the shadows on the edge of the roof of the garage and standing silently, Ana watched her start on her way again. Every word that she said echoed up to the sniper, every regret and hope for the future fell on ears that were experienced in the former and had long given up on the latter. Every word struck her more and more, the thought of forgiveness, especially when it came to Fareeha… it wasn’t a kind subject for Ana to think about.

Nor was the fact that her entire purpose of being out here tonight was to take that chance away, to kill the woman who had taken her eye, drag Lena back kicking and screaming and throw her into a cell to rot for the rest of her days. Even with everything that they’d been through in the last few months, Ana couldn’t forget that once upon a time she’d considered Lena a friend, some part of her still did. She didn’t relish the task of destroying a friend’s life, no matter how bad things had gotten between them.

She doubted that Lena would ever forgive her after tonight, that wasn’t how losing someone you loved worked, but perhaps in time she could see that she was being manipulated all along. Or maybe she would simply remain locked in her delusion that the woman that she was in love with ever existed at all, there was only so much that Ana could do for that.

So that was her plan for the night it seemed, kill one former friend, imprison another, and endure the possible eternal hatred of her daughter for taking her best friend away from her. It was a heavy cross to bear, but that was the decision she had made all those years ago when she had disappeared in the first place. There was a sort of peace knowing that you were damned but… that didn’t mean she enjoyed it. There wasn’t much else to feel about this except a heavy sort of determination, really the only thing that could carry her through the task as she watched Lena’s face shift into a smile and her pace quicken again as she ran to make it to the woman that she was so hopelessly enamored with.

Ana sighed and shook her head, sprinting forward to scale the next roof. After this she was definitely going to take some time to herself.

 

“Sombra.” Amelie stood in the doorway, arms crossed in front of her chest and her fingers tapping restlessly. “Can I talk to you?”

“Yeah sure, you want me to patch Ox through too?”

“No, no I can talk to her in a minute,” She said, crossing the room. “I wanted to speak to you privately for now.”

Sombra nodded, turning back to her console. “Alright just keep heading the way you are Ox, I just need to speak to Ame…” She rolled her eyes. “Yeah I’ll put her through when I’m done. See ya.”

She swiveled around in her chair, throwing her legs up on the desk behind and cocking an eyebrow. “What’s up Ame?”

“I already spoke to Gabriel but… I wanted to say it to you as well.” She stepped around the desk, kicking Sombra’s legs away and leaning against the top. “What we’ve done, where we’ve gotten since I came back to myself, none of it would have been possible without your help. I wasn’t sure at first that I would have it.”

“Of course you’d have it, why wouldn’t you?”

“None of us are completely certain who you work for Sombra, you should know that by now,” She said, “We were pretty sure that it wasn’t Talon but…”

“I’ve always worked for me, and because you’re my friends that means that I worked for you too.” Sombra shrugged. “I was going to cut myself loose eventually, but I was at least going to wait until… I dunno, maybe if you wanted to come with me?”

“You wanted to steal me away from Talon,” Amelie said, smirking and leaning in. “Even when I was… how did you say it back then… ‘a frigid icehole’?”

She put her hands up in surrender, not bothering to deny the claim. “In my defense… you _were_ pretty bitchy when I first came on. And now that I think about it you never really dropped that until really recently huh?”

“Of course not, it was just fun to treat you that way.” Amelie extended her hand, ruffling Sombra’s hair and chuckling at her displeasure. “You are a tiny, loud annoyance but… I am glad to have a friend like you, I truly am. I just wish that I had realized it sooner.”

“If you’d realized it sooner then we might not be here at all,” She replied, “Everything that’s happened happened at the right time, no use in thinking otherwise. Right now all we should be thinking about is what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

Amelie nodded. “Yes, another luxury that I owe you. Would you mind if I spoke to Lena now?”

“Yeah, yeah go ahead, use the console you’ll get a clearer signal.” Sombra stood from her chair, weaving around Amelie and patting her on the back. “I’m gonna go talk to Gabe, we’ve got a lot of shit to deal with after this, doesn’t hurt to start planning ahead right?”

“You? Working with a plan?” Amelie snorted, taking a seat. “Perhaps the world really is ending…”

Sombra grinned, flipping up her middle finger while she walked out the door, muttering to herself, “Smartass…”

The room was silent for a moment, Amelie alone with her thoughts while she took a deep breath, only needing to move her finger to connect herself to Lena’s communicator and hear her voice again. She was afraid of what she would hear woven into each word, whether it would be elation at having escaped or sorrow at having felt the betrayal in her friends expressions, whether she would sound as though she was in perfect health or if the countless injuries they’d gained over the last few months were finally taking their toll. Amelie took these concerns and squashed them down, willing herself to lean forward and flip the button to connect the call. If anything was wrong she had her share of the blame, there was nothing else she could do except acknowledge that and deal with it as it came, at least she could tell Lena that everything was going to be alright while she did it.

“Sombra? That you mate?” Lena was clearly out of breath, or at least close to it, a ten kilometer run not exactly something to dismiss easily. Aside from a lack of breath she didn’t sound too hurt, nothing indicating that she was going to collapse dead in the street from injury or exhaustion. Their situation was still terrible, in almost too many ways to count, but knowing that she wasn’t badly hurt and was still on her way… it did wonders for her nerves.

“No _cherie,”_ She said, relief evident in her tone, “It’s me.”

“Amelie? Oh bloody hell it’s good to hear your voice again,” She grunted, shoving her way past something. “I really fucked us this time huh?”

“No, you didn’t. There were very few options available to us.”

“I could have run…”

“And they could have shot us both,” Amelie sighed, “You made the right choice, even if it’s led us here. How did… everyone react?”

“How do you think they reacted? Half of them think I’m crazy, the other half think I’m stupid, and every one of them refuses to think anything new about you.”

“I haven’t given them any real reason to, maybe one day we can change their minds, but that day isn’t today.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,’ Lena sighed, “You talk to Em?”

She nodded. “She’s preparing a bag as we speak, as soon as you get here we’ll grab her on our way out. I’m not going to leave her alone like you were left alone, I’m not going to let that happen to anyone else.”

She breathed a sigh of relief, “Thank you luv, I know this is all a huge shitshow but… thanks for thinkin’ of her.”  
Amelie smiled. “She means a lot to me as well Lena, you should know that by now. I’ll no sooner stop caring about her than I will about you.”

“Heh, well you better tell her that when we get back together, she’ll probably do something nice for you as thanks…” She trailed off, long enough that Amelie almost started to worry before she said, “Amelie… I’m here.”

Amelie stepped back towards the window, looking out and seeing the faint outline of her lover in the distance, their eyes seeming to meet even over such a great distance. Without another word she ran through the door, almost knocking Sombra to the ground in the process.

“Woah, take it easy!” Sombra said, smiling lightly. “You know both of you could stand to take things a little slower, that’s not just a problem that she has.”

“She is here I… I need to go to her.”

“Yeah go ahead, Gabe and I are just making sure the ships ready to go.” She clapped Amelie on the shoulder, squeezing down gently. “We’ll be watching the whole time, don’t worry.”

She nodded, already moving past her and out the door towards Lena. Rain had started falling lightly, the concrete below her feet growing more slick by the minute and each step starting to splash. None of this registered, or even would have mattered, so intent on reaching Lena that she wasn’t able to process anything other than the fact that she was _here_ and they were together again.

Her eyes went wide when she saw the bruise already starting to shine on Lena’s cheek, hand reaching out before they’d even said a word to each other and running along the skin. “Oh Lena,” She said, “I’m so sorry.”

Lena didn’t answer her with words, grabbing the front of her shirt and pulling her in roughly, their lips crashing together with a force of desperation that they hadn’t known since they’d first reunited. They spun around in each other’s arms, Lena facing back to the entrance when she opened her eyes and smiled softly.

“Not your fault luv, this one’s all on me and my big mouth.” She stroked her hand through Amelie’s hair, marveling at the shine in the moonlight, so similar yet so different to how it had been all those years ago. “Hi…”

“Hello to yourself,” She said, leaning into Lena’s touch. “I would jump all over you but I’m afraid that we have people watching us…”

“Oh really?” Lena asked, holding her middle finger over her shoulder and grinning widely. “They still lookin’?”

“Afraid so,” She said, leaning in and whispering, “I think we will just have to wait until we’re on the ship.”

“And Em?”

“Just waiting for us to make our appearance. Soon enough we’ll be in bed somewhere safe, just the three of us.” She smiled. “Any ideas on where you want to go?”

“Don’t care in the slightest luv, not as long as I’m with the two of you.” Lena stroked her thumb along her chin. “Matter of fact, I-”

“Hey Ox, you wanna hurry it up?” She almost jumped out of her skin at the voice, before realizing Gabriel was talking to her through the communicator. “It’s a cold night, I wanna get somewhere warm.”

Lena turned on her heel, holding both fingers high in the air for him to see while Amelie laughed behind her. “We’ll be done in a minute alright? Don’t rush us!”

Gabriel and Sombra laughed from the position in front of the ship, Sombra returning the gesture with one of her own while Gabriel merely shook his head. Though she couldn’t see it from where she was, she knew they were smiling at her.

“Some bloody friends I’ve got huh?”

“You attract strange people _cherie,_ I think that’s one of your best traits. It’s one of the things that…” Lena looked back at her, curious as to why she’d stalled. “That’s one of the things that I love about you most. I could go on all night about the reasons that I do but I don’t think that I could ever do it justice.”

“Amelie…”

Amelie reached forward, taking Lena’s hand in her own and running her finger along the knuckles. “I love you Lena, more than anything else in the world. I’m so sorry for the pain that love has caused you before, but if I have to I will spend every last minute of my life making sure that you know how much you are loved. That is my promise.”

“I…” Lena was speechless, her mouth working up and down uselessly before she could even begin to find the words. “I love you too Amelie, I…”

She narrowed her eyes, looking up and towards the entrance where she had come in, gaze travelling up the side of the nearby office building until she saw what had been bothering her. Something shining in the moonlight, a tiny bright spot amongst the rest of the glass of the third floor.

“What is that?”

 

Scaling the building had been easy, letting herself in through the window even easier, only now as Ana was unpacking her rifle did she notice her hand starting to feel heavy and her heart beginning to ache. Seeing the two of them standing there together… it was like she had stepped back into the past, back to a time that wasn’t nearly so complicated as it was now.

That hair… that easy posture, so relaxed yet so alert… she had to shake her head to clear the thought that it was her old friend Amelie Lacroix. Countless years had gone by, days spent in agony and nights spent in anger, and so many of them had been consumed by the wish that it had all just been a nightmare, that her friend was alive and well and that their friendship was something real. But it wasn’t, it had never been, and she would forever have the scar to prove it.

Hefting her rifle up onto the desk by the window, Ana pulled the bolt back and inserted a cartridge, the heavy round sure to pierce whatever armor the Widowmaker could be wearing. Gripping the stock tight, willing her trigger finger to stop shaking so violently, she leaned in and looked through the scope. Lena had her back turned, hands thrown in the air no doubt towards Gabriel and the irritating hacker, Ame- _Widowmaker_ throwing her head back in laughter and stepping closer to her.

She closed her eyes, steeling herself and hardening her heart to whatever regrets or wishes she had about the woman down there. Whatever had been between them had been nothing but a lie, she’d spent years playing them for a group of fools and wasn’t going to be satisfied until she tore them apart all over again. She centered the reticle over Widow’s back, right over her heart, one shot and she would be dead in a matter of seconds. A quick death, nothing to suffer through, nothing to do except lay down and welcome the darkness.

The courtesy was not for her, but for the woman holding her hand and looking into her eyes with a look of such earnest love that it made even Ana’s heart stop beating in her chest for a moment. Ana had been there to see what that loss had done to Lena, had seen the slow road to recovery that she had up until recently still been walking, before that black hearted creature crawled back into her life and infected her mind. Lena would never forgive her for what she was about to do, but if it was quick… maybe she would find it easier to heal in time.

Hand shaking, spine racked with shivers, Ana took aim, exhaling slowly and placing her finger over the trigger. “I’m sorry Lena,” She said, applying pressure and just barely seeing the way Lena’s expression had changed.

“For Gerard.”

 

“Lena?” Amelie asked, “What is-”

“Look out!” Lena yelled, blinking forward and throwing her arms out behind Amelie as the third floor flashed bright.

 

Ana’s eye widened in horror, mouth dropping open as the rifle kicked against her shoulder, her finger falling free of the trigger far too late.

 

Gabriel heard her shout, recognizing the sound of the rifle like an old wound, already running forward before he could process anything else.

 

As soon as Lena materialized it felt like a sledgehammer had slammed into her chest, all the breath leaving her lungs and her nerves lighting up like they had been set on fire. She stumbled once, barely managing to stay on her feet even as her vision blurred and a wet cough forced its way out of her lungs. Wiping her hand shakily across her mouth, she grimaced when she felt blood streak across her palm, breathing getting shallower and her knees growing weak.

Slowly she looked down, finally noticing the sparking wreck that the right side of her accelerator had become, blood pouring freely from a hole the size of a pound coin. She didn’t have to see her back to know that it had passed right through her, watery ground darkening with red by the second.

“Huh,” She said in awe, collapsing to her knees and touching her fingers to the hole. “Would you look at that?”

She slumped backwards against Amelie, her lover shuddering out her breaths while she clutched at the hole in her abdomen. Blood flowed between her fingers, teeth digging into her lip and breaking through the skin, her head falling back against Lena’s when she felt her strength beginning to leave her.

“A-Amelie,” She gasped, reaching back blindly with her hand. “H-h-hold me…”

Amelie had no words, grabbing her bloody hand with all the strength she could muster and squeezing down. “I’m… I’m here Lena…”

Lena nodded, vision beginning to darken and her body going numb. “I… I love you Amelie.”

She closed her eyes, and the world was only darkness.

 

“No!” Sombra screamed, sprinting after Gabriel towards their fallen friends. Every second that passed by felt like an eternity, blood, so much blood, leaking out onto the ground below them, mixing in with the water until it was all you could see. When they reached Amelie and Lena however Gabriel didn’t stop, only pointing at the two of them and telling her to help them.

“Help them?” She asked, “What the hell are you doing?”

Sombra had seen some terrifying sights, been a part of some fairly terrible things, if there was such a thing as a hell she had likely had a role in helping someone on earth see a glimpse of it at some point or another. But the one thing she would never be able to forget as long as she lived was the look that Gabriel gave her, eyes an even darker red than the blood surrounding them, rage radiating off of him so potently you could almost _see_ it. He spoke one word, one word that was filled with so much hatred that she almost fell to her knees and prayed.

_“Ana.”_

He shifted, taking the barest of moments to survey his surroundings before seeing that he was on the third floor of the building, screams and cries coming from the room next to him. He didn’t break stride for a second, foot shooting forward and sending the door off its hinges as he finally let himself lose control.

“Oh god,” Ana said, still staring out the window at her victims. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean to… oh my god what have I done?”

His first thought was that she was begging, to try and convince him not to attack her, but one look at her face told him all he needed to know. She wasn’t trying to convince _him,_ she was trying to convince _herself._ Some part of him almost wanted to pity her for that.

The other part of him had just walked past two dying friends.

Ana didn’t acknowledge him as he walked up to her, hands buried in her hair and her expression still frozen in horror. The fist flying into her chest got her attention, Gabriel’s hardened fist hitting with the force of a gunshot, two ribs audibly cracking under the weight of his blow, breath shooting out of her lungs and doubling her over.

She may have been in shock, sick to her stomach over what she had done, but one thing she definitely still had were a soldier’s instincts. Which was why when Gabriel threw another wild punch at her head, aiming to take it clean off her neck, he only swiped empty air, chest lighting up in pain when two bullets landed in his chest. The pain drew him out of the thin modicum of self control that he’d been holding onto, punches being thrown wildly while a growl of fury bubbled in his throat.

“Gabriel, please!” She said, backing away and firing another two shots into his chest, eyes widening when they had no effect. “I didn’t mean… I didn’t _want_ to shoot Lena! I didn’t… Oh jesus…”

“I don’t care what you _meant_ to do,” He yelled, fist shattering through the wall where her head had been half a second before. “I care about what you _did!”_

Age hadn’t slowed her down, even the loss of her eye didn’t seem to be having any noticeable effect on her evasion, but there was always a weakness to be exploited. Which was why when Gabriel left his head open and she aimed her pistol to take advantage, she found her wrist held _very_ tightly in his grip, so tightly she could feel the bones creaking beneath the muscle.

“I care about _them!”_ He roared, wrenching her wrist to the side so viciously the snap of her bones echoed off the walls. But she was still standing, screaming in agony and having dropped the gun already, but still standing, and he couldn’t abide by that. He took himself down to his knee, pulling her arm even further to the side and slamming her down to the cold ground, arm twisted in ways that nothing should ever be twisted.

The first blow to her head glanced off her temple, shaking her brain in her skull and filling her eyes with tears, but still one that could be shrugged off. His second was on target, nose and cheek shattering under the blow and her head bouncing off the tile, a desperate wheeze pushing through her lips in lieu of a scream of pain. There wasn’t much else the body could do when it was hit by something that hard.

He pulled his fist into the air for a third, ready to scatter her brains all over the floor before a desperate stream of curses coarsed into his ear, drawing him out of the blood haze that he’d fallen so readily into.

“Goddammit Gabe get the fuck back out here, they’re still alive!” Her voice was desperate, verging on hysterical. _“Gabe!”_

Gabriel lowered his fist, wrapping it around Ana’s throat and pulling her up to him, his face only an inch away from hers when he growled, “Whatever there was between the three of us, it’s gone. We’re going to kill you, we’re going to destroy everything you care about, I will make you _watch_ while it all burns to the ground around you and by the time it’s all over you will _beg_ for death.”

“Guh… Gabe…” She spat out a mouthful of blood, head lolling while he dragged her across the room. “Gabriel…”

“I’m going to give you one more chance to hug the people that you care about,” He said, staring sadly into her eyes. “That’s more than you gave her.”

“Gabriel,” She said, clutching weakly at his arm. “Please…”

Lifting her off the ground, feet dangling beneath her, he took one last look in her eyes and shook his head. “Goodbye Ana.”

With a grunt of exertion he threw her back as hard as he could, her back shattering the window and sending her tumbling down the three stories to the ground, shoulder impacting with a parked car and crumpling shoulder blade and roof alike. She didn’t move, both for amount of pain and lack of desire. All she could think about was the look on Lena’s face when she’d fallen, such disbelief that she’d been hit that she couldn’t do anything except stare at her wound in amazement.

And then, in her own silent, pained way, Ana began to scream.

 

“Oh god, oh jesus come on don’t do this to me,” Sombra begged, “Gabe! Get over here _now!”_

He ran over, kneeling at their sides and doing his best to assess their conditions. “What’s their status, where are they hit?”

“Amelie’s been hit in the chest, I don’t know where it’s all such a fucking mess…” She shook her head, slapping her cheek to get ahold of herself. “Lena’s the one I’m really worried about, she took it through the lung and it took a good chunk of her accelerator with it.”

He nodded, forcing his feelings aside to make the logical decision. “Alright, get on the ship. We’re getting them to a doctor.”

“A doctor?” She asked, “What fucking doctor is gonna help-”

“Get on the goddamn ship Sombra! _Now!”_ He looped Lena’s arm over his shoulder, hefting her up before doing the same with Amelie. “They’re alive now but if they don’t get help soon their chances are nonexistent, are we clear?”

“Yeah…” She nodded. “Yeah we’re clear.”

“Good, there’s still hope for someone tonight at least” He said, looking back at the office building. He started moving with her, doing his best not to jostle the two wounded women on his shoulders anymore than necessary. “Come on you assholes, you can't die on me yet. I promised to get you to safety didn't I?”

They ran into the ship, rain still pouring down around them all the while. A minute of necessary flight checks felt like an eternity, a location locked in and the engines engaged.

Then they were gone.

 

“Come on, come on…”

Emily paced around the living room, phone tapping against her forehead in her frustration. She dialed the number Amelie had provided to her again, waiting through the tone before being informed once more that the call had failed. Three more attempts yielded the same result, her heart only falling further with each failure and her mind racing with the possibilities.

She sank down into her chair, foot resting on her packed back and staring out the window into the night, thoughts focused only on her two loves out there in that cold, cold dark.

“Where are you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: Major Character Injury, violence with description of bones breaking
> 
> Well, shit. Here's the penultimate chapter, and it's a pretty rough one. Maybe you saw this coming, maybe you didn't, I'm willing to bet you weren't hoping for it though. I'm hoping to have the final chapter (after writing this story for over a year!) up in the next week or two, until then I'd love to hear what you think of this story in the comments! I love every comment I get, and I appreciate all of you taking the time to write me such wonderful things <3
> 
> If you want to follow me somewhere else I'm [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com) on Tumblr, or if you want to follow me on my dumb twitter that I never post to that is [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter).
> 
> See ya next time!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final Chapter! Trigger Warnings in end notes!

In an otherwise unassuming building in the south of London, the staff of the Talon facility stood on lazy guard. No nearby Omnic outposts, a barely functional Overwatch presence and severed ties with the Humanity League resulted in not very much happening at any given time, some of the best doctors in the world forced to stand by and twiddle their thumbs while they hoped for a better posting to make itself available one day.

As of yet, none had opened up, leaving “The Graveyard” to sit simultaneously full and devoid of activity.

“Albert,” Simmons said, waving over his fellow doctor, “Is everything ready for Dr. O’Deorain’s inspection tomorrow?”

Albert scoffed, barely looking up from his coffee as he answered, “When is everything _not_ ready? Not being ready implies that we’ll ever have anything to not be ready for anyway.”

“Have you forgotten about Reaper’s business here in London tonight?”

“Have _you_ forgotten that anyone he goes out with _dies_ and he never has a scratch on him?” Albert groaned, “All we do is collect body parts at the end of the night, it’s not like we-”

_“Out of the fucking way!”_

The front doors slammed open, weapons trained on the intruders before they recognized them as Reaper and Sombra, curiously bereft of their guard team but carrying two more wounded that none of them recognized at first. That was until they saw the blue skin.

“Who are the doctors on duty?” Reaper asked them, eyes wider than they’d ever seen them before. _“Who?”_

Albert and Simmons jumped in place, his presence always making them uneasy. “We are sir! What is their status?”

“You? Not O’Deorain?” He growled, “Whatever, two wounded, gunshot wounds to the chest!”

He placed Lena on the ground, wet hair still covering her face. “Direct shot to the right side, collapsed lung, possible shrapnel damage from her ribs. She’s lost a lot of blood already, this needs to happen now!”

Sombra nodded down at Amelie, fingers curled around her weak grip. “She was standing behind her, the bullet was slowed down but it still came through bad, it was supposed to hit her heart but it deflected through her lung.”

Simmons knelt by Amelie’s side, checking her pulse and nodding slowly to himself. “She’s fading fast, we need to get her into surgery as soon as possible.” He stood, snapping his fingers at two orderlies by the door. “You and you, get a gurney and get her into the theater right now!”

They picked her up, depositing her on the gurney and wheeling her through into the next corridor, Gabriel and Sombra watching her go with a heavy heart. There was no time for them to get sentimental however, not with Lena still laying motionless on the tiles below them with Albert kneeling to inspect her.

“Who do we have…” His eyes widened in shock when he brushed the hair out of her face, finally connecting the dots between the accelerator on her chest and the strange feeling he’d had when he first saw her placed on the ground. “Sir, this is Lena Oxton.”

Gabriel nodded, lifting her up himself and placing her on the gurney that had been wheeled to them. “I know that, I also know that she’s injured badly and we need to do something about that.”

“No you don’t understand sir, she is one of the top targets of Talon, a nuisance to our organization and the cause of many headaches to myself and many others who work here,” He scoffed, “You can’t honestly expect me to treat her?”

Gabriel went deathly silent, the atmosphere in the room turning noticeably colder to all in attendance. The guards tightened their grips on their weapons, but the sight of an enraged Reaper and Sombra’s hand creeping towards her own sidearm kept them from taking aim.

“Doctor… Gustav wasn’t it?” He placed his hand on Albert’s shoulder, creeping slowly across the skin until it was a breath from his throat. “Tell me, are you a family man?”

Paralyzed by fear, Albert could only nod his answer, acutely aware of the scarred fingers curling around his windpipe. “Good, because I want you to listen to me _very_ carefully. If you don’t do your best to save her, if she dies, if she is paralyzed, if a single _hair_ on her head is out of place then I will tie you down and make you watch while I butcher everyone you love right in front of you.”

He closed his hand around the doctor’s throat, lifting him off the ground until his feet were dangling and kicking weakly beneath him. The guards raised their weapons at this, Sombra pulling her own and turning in place to cover each side of herself and Gabriel. Gabriel himself took no notice, all his focus on burning his own gaze into Albert’s eyes and shaking him in his grip.

“You’ve read my file, right Dr. Gustav? Do you think for a single second that I’m lying about what I’ll do to you?”

Albert clawed at his hand, finally getting enough space between his windpipe and Gabriel’s hand to yell, “Alright, alright! I’ll treat her!”

He was dumped to the ground unceremoniously, the staff on the sidelines rushing forward and collecting Lena without waiting for further instructions. None of them wanted to chance Gabriel into an escalation, knowing what they knew about him. The doctor only collapsed to his knees and wheezed for breath, looking up at Gabriel’s clenched fist.

“Go on then Doctor, go and do your job,” He said, watching Albert scurry away in a hurry. His hand curled around the grip of the shotgun at his hip, his voice deepening in anger, “While I think of how I can do mine.”

Soon enough, all the other staff had left along with the doctor, the orderlies to work on the patients, and the guards to keep watch over Lena. A moment of silence was heavy in the air between Sombra and Gabriel, neither of them quite sure what to do with themselves aside from wait. Thoughts of planning came and went, but in spite of their desire to get out there and do _something_ with their anger, they couldn’t help but think of the two women laying bleeding in separate operating rooms.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Sombra said, her back hitting the wall and sliding down to the ground, “But are you sure we did the right thing bringing her back here?”

Gabriel knew what she was talking about, or rather _who_ she was talking about, but he still had to ask. “As opposed to what?”

“Come on Gabe, how many other doctors do you know that know what to do with her?” She shrugged. “Maybe _she_ would have been willing to help or something, I dunno.”

Gabriel joined her at her side, grunting as he sat down and letting his tired head fall forward. “The thought crossed my mind, but it was far too risky. She was back at their base and…”

Sombra placed her hand on his arm. “And what?”

“And I don’t know what she would have done anyway. For all I know she could have just… sent us on our way and wasted our time, or thrown her in a cell once she was done, or even just called Jack and the kid down to try and take us out,” He sighed, “At least here no one’s gonna shoot us, not if they know what’s good for them.”

“You really think she’d do something like that?” She asked, tone skeptical, “I dunno... that doesn’t really sound like her style.”

“I served with Jack and Ana for nearly thirty years Sombra, thirty years and I never would have thought that either of them would ever do something like this… I never thought that they’d decide to try and kill one of their own.”

She remained silent, what else could she possibly say to that? She’d almost lost two friends tonight but Gabriel… he must have felt like he’d been betrayed all over again, there wasn’t much that could compare to a pain like that.

“Ziegler, Reinhardt… Jesse… I’m done thinking I know people that I used to know, nothing good’s going to come of it anymore. You, Amelie, Lena, you’re my team now, I need to focus on that.”

“Well, I’m glad that we can be a backup plan for you,” She laughed, trying to bite back the bitterness when she thought of days and nights spent with Jesse. They’d had fun, even had each other’s backs in the strangest of circumstances but… Gabriel was right, trust was something that you could only have for those closest to you. Whatever there had been between her and Jesse… it ended the second one of his co-workers sent an AP round through Lena’s chest.

“You’re not a backup,” He said, “Shit, you might just be the only ray of sunshine in this whole shit organization. I wouldn’t trade you or them for anything, you can believe that.”

“Awww, don’t tell me you’re getting sappy on me now?” She poked her tongue out, head resting against his shoulder. “The big, bad Reaper, pouring his heart out to the annoying sidekick, what would the bigwigs say if they saw that?”

He laughed, a breath of happiness in what had otherwise been a sea of anger and worry. “It’s been a rough night alright? Sue me.”

“Hmmm, I guess I can let it go this one time. Don’t get used to it though.” She looked over at the doors to the operating rooms, foot tapping nervously against the floor as she thought back to the state her friends had been in. “What’s the plan now boss? What do we do from here?”

Gabriel ran his fingers against his thigh, fingernails dragging against the fabric as plan after plan ran through his head. Plans of attack, plans to recuperate, plans to destroy one of them or plans to destroy all of them, it was hard to try and form one through the haze of everything else.

“Now?” He said, exhaling heavily and joining her in watching the door. “Now we wait I guess, I want to be there when they wake up.”

Sombra smiled. “Alright boss, that I can do.”

 

In a different part of the city, where the knowing did not go and the violent made their home, Ana dragged herself through the rain slicked streets. Tears hadn’t stopped streaming down her cheeks since the first step she had taken, agony from her body and her heart waging a war for dominance. She couldn’t get that look out of Lena’s eyes, right before she’d fallen to the ground, no anger, no sadness just… shock. Shock that this was happening, shock that the night had turned out so badly so quickly.

Shock that Ana was the one that had pulled the trigger.

Every broken bone she had, every piece of glass embedded in her back, she deserved every single one of them. Maybe she should have let Reyes kill her, at least then the punishment would have fit the crime. But he hadn’t, he had pulled back and decided to prolong her suffering, and in her opinion she had no one to blame but herself for it. Because of her decisions a target had been painted on the rest of Overwatch, whatever good may have been left in his heart… she’d killed that the same moment she’d killed Lena.

Jack had moved buildings from the temporary office Overwatch was currently occupying, the two of them needing privacy for their plans. She considered that a blessing right at that moment, she didn’t think she had it in her to tell everyone at once that she had killed one of their closest friends. Slumping against the door to the office and curling her hand around the handle, she didn’t know if she had in her to tell _him._

“Ana?” He asked, turning around when he heard the door open. “What happe- Jesus Christ!”

Jack sprinted across the room, barely catching her in his arms as she pitched forward, legs finally giving out and sending her on a collision course with the ground.

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you…” He whispered, dragging her across to the nearby couch and placing her down gently. “Jesus Ana, what happened out there?”

Her mouth flapped up and down, throat paralyzed trying to force the words out to no avail. Jack had been worried before seeing the state of her body, but what was truly crawling under his skin right now was the expression on her face. Not pain, this was… anguish.

“I… I killed her Jack.”

Something about the way she said that made something rise in his chest, possibilities popping into his head that he wouldn’t dare think normally. But the state she was in, that look on her face… the fact that she was alone…

A stone dropped in his stomach, but he still needed to ask the question, “Who did you kill? Widowmaker?”

Her silence spoke volumes, her eyes falling away from his and tears starting to form. His mouth dropped open, the world falling out from underneath him as he stumbled back into his chair. “No…”

“She jumped in front of the bullet, it went through her chest and she… she just dropped, the both of them just dropped right there.” Ana dragged herself up, her one good hand winding into her hair and tugging painfully. “Oh my god what have I done? I just killed my daughter’s best friend I… I just killed my _family.”_

Morrison couldn’t believe what he was hearing, his head in his hands as he tried to process how badly things had gotten in such a short time, one of their best and brightest just… snuffed out, just like that. What it would do to everyone else… Jesse, Fareeha… _Emily…_ he could barely stand to even think about what they would feel, the sheer betrayal from knowing that one of their own killed someone they loved.

It would ruin them, there was no other way to state it. It would ruin them, everything they worked for and everything they could work for. Overwatch would dissolve and the world would be at the mercy of Talon, and he didn’t have it in himself to think any less of them for that.

But it didn’t have to be that way, and his heart was already breaking just from the thought of it. Even before he said the words that he knew would damn the two of them to hell.

“No, you didn’t,” He said, eyes watering and swallowing a lump in his throat. “You didn’t kill her. Widowmaker did.”

“What?” She said in utter shock, mouth hanging open and her eyes wide with horror. “What did you just say?”

“You went there to bring Lena back into custody, she’d met up with Widowmaker by then and… and you saw her kill her.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying in vain to stop the shaking. “You took a shot, you dropped Widowmaker, you didn’t get a chance to confirm the kill and then you got out. That’s how we say this… that’s how we _need_ to say this.”

“No I… I can’t do that. _We_ can’t do that Jack!”

_“What then?”_ He yelled, standing to his feet and kicking his chair away. “Are you going to stand in front of Fareeha, in front of _Emily_ and say that you shot the woman that they loved? Jesus Ch- haven’t we made them suffer enough? What do you think knowing it was _you_ who did it will do to them?”

Ana was silent, fists clenching at her sides and her eyes squeezing shut. This was wrong, there was no other way to see it but… Lena was gone, she had to accept that. She had to accept that she was gone because of her, but that didn’t have to be the end. She could find some way to try and make this right, even if it was just trying to keep the rest of her family together. She would do anything for that to happen, even if it meant damning herself.

“At least…” She said, voice heavy with regret, “At least let me be the one to tell Emily. She deserves that much.”

“Ok,” He said, sighing heavily and sinking against the wall. “God have mercy on us all.”

 

Emily had a feeling something was wrong when she heard the knock at the door, but nothing could have prepared her for the state that Ana was in when she answered. She’d been bandaged up, her arm was in a sling, but nothing could hide the shattered cheekbone and the bruising around her eyes, whatever had happened was bad.

And if she was here instead of Lena…

“No…” She said, stepping back into the room with her hand over her mouth. “No, no no tell me this isn’t happening.”

Ana didn’t look at her, _couldn’t_ look at her, and that told her all that she needed to know.

“No!” She wailed, stumbling against the couch and falling to the ground. She didn’t take any notice, curling up into a ball and sobbing helplessly, hands over her face and her ring digging against her mouth.

Ana stepped forward at that moment, helping her up with her free arm and leading her towards the chair by the window. “Come on now, come on, I’ve got you.” Her heart was shattering at the sight in front of her, knowing that she was the cause of such intense grief in someone that she had been quite fond of, even with their limited meetings in the past. The sight of the ring on her finger only made her feel worse, though something about it felt familiar...

“I’m so sorry that I have to tell you this Emily but…” She steeled herself, taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly. This was it, the moment that would change the sort of person she could consider herself but… was it really worth it? If it meant she would be able to protect everyone else then… she would bear that burden.

“Lena was killed tonight when she met with agents of Talon, I… I tried to do what I could, but I was too late.” She swallowed heavily. “I’m sorry.”

“Agents of Talon?” Emily asked, knowing exactly the agents that she was talking about. She had a bag packed in the next room to go meet them. “What agents?”

“The terrorists known as Reaper, Sombra and… and Widowmaker.”

Something felt wrong here, she hadn’t yet met Sombra or Reaper but with the way that Lena spoke of them… could they really have done this? “Who killed her?” She asked, “Who was the one that did it?”

“Emily… knowing that won’t do any good.”

“Tell me!” She glared up at Ana, fists clenched. “You came in here and told me that the love of my life is dead, you don’t get to do that and not say anything else! I need to know!”

Ana sighed, turning away. “Widowmaker,” She said, “I saw Widowmaker shoot her. I shot her but… I was too late to do anything for Lena.”

It was like a bucket of ice water had just been dumped on Emily’s head, the sheer shock of there being no possible way that she could have done something like that hitting her full force. But even stronger than that was the knowledge that no, after all the nights they’d spent together, all the confessions, all the admissions, all the promises for the future… there really was _no_ possible way she could have done that. And with that came anger.

_“You…”_ She growled, her eyes burning holes in the back of Ana’s head. Ana stiffened at the feeling, knowing exactly what that tone implied, turning around to meet a gaze of agony and fury staring right into her soul.

Emily knew that this was a stupid risk, if she’d already taken Lena and Amelie away from her then there was no reason she wouldn’t be willing to silence her as well. But… she’d already lost Lena and Amelie. What reason did she have to hold herself back now?

“You’re not going to be able to do this forever,” She said, injecting every ounce of anger and spite into her words that she could muster, “One day… one day everything you’ve done is going to catch up to you. One day you’re going to pay for the people that you’ve hurt. I just wish we could be there to see it.”

Ana’s eyebrows raised into her hairline, astonished at the hatred she saw in Emily’s eyes as she turned away to stare out the window, her ring shining briefly and drawing Ana’s eye. That was when Ana realized why the ring was so familiar to her, why the sight of it had crawled under her skin so and brought back a feeling she hadn’t had in years. She’d been the one to help Gerard pick it out after all.

If Emily had that ring… if she was able to see through her lie so quickly and so certainly based only on who she said killed Lena… then there was really only one explanation for how she knew the truth. And that explanation made her extremely dangerous.

Emily didn’t notice her moving, or maybe she just didn’t care, but aside from momentarily stiffening when Ana placed the barrel of her pistol against the back of her head she never once moved her attention from the window. Lena and herself had spent countless nights just watching the world go by from here, it wasn’t such a bad place for things to end.

Ana’s hand was shaking, willing her finger onto the trigger even though her body was screaming out for her not to. Emily was dangerous, what she knew could shatter everything that they were trying to build, everything that was keeping the rest of them together but… she’d already killed one innocent tonight, could she really bring herself to kill another?

Once upon a time, maybe she could have willed herself to take that next step, to just punch through and deal with her grief later. But right now… in this moment, with her gun pointed at the head of someone who should never have been involved in the first place yet was bearing all the consequences… now she was just tired.

Decocking the hammer Ana placed the pistol back under her coat, hand freezing above Emily’s shoulder after barely stopping an ill-conceived movement of comfort. She didn’t want that from Ana, that was abundantly clear, but it felt wrong to just leave. Unfortunately that was all that Ana could do, leave Emily in her empty apartment with only her grief to keep her company.

“I’m sorry child,” She said, turning and walking to the door. “I’m sorry for everything.”

Emily moved her head slightly, staring at her from the corner of her eye. “It’ll all end you know. Everything that you think you’re doing, everything you think you’re protecting… sooner or later it’s all going to end. Then what do you think you’ll do?”

“I don’t know,” Ana answered, closing the door behind her and walking off into the night. “I don’t know…”

 

The news of Lena’s death spread like a wildfire through Overwatch, though the true circumstances behind it remained a secret. Anguish, anger, regret, all came rushing forward in their minds in the days following that fateful night, thoughts on what they did and what they could have done differently a regular talking point between the grieving soldiers.

But they had lost one of their own, there was no changing that. And regardless of the circumstances of their last few hours together, they couldn’t forget that Lena was one of their closest friends, one of the greatest heroes that they had ever known.

And heroes deserved a burial.

 

“When I issued the recall, I knew that there were risks that one of us would not make it through everything.” Winston looked down at the casket in front of him, as empty as it was the last time he had been part of her funeral. “All of you knew going in that the risks against us were high, almost insurmountable, but you answered the call anyway. Because you wanted to make a difference, because you were tired of seeing evil always win… because you wanted to change the world.”

He sniffled, the small crowd in front of him barely holding back their own tears. “Again…” He said to himself, “I’m burying my best friend… again…”

Taking a moment to collect himself, no one else daring to interrupt, he straightened up and looked each of them in the eye. “Lena Oxton was the first to answer the call. She was the first to join me at my side, and she in many ways is the reason we have an organization to speak of today. She was the greatest woman that I’ve ever known, so full of passion, of life… she never let an opportunity to help go by without a fight. No matter who it was, or what they needed, if she saw a person in need of aid, she would give it to them.”

In the front row, Fareeha and Hana bowed their heads, tears streaming down their faces from sorrow and anger. Aside from Winston the two of them were Lena’s best friends, for as much betrayal as they had felt tearing that mask off, they felt infinitely more pain knowing that she had been betrayed by the woman she had already sacrificed so much for already. To be used and discarded so readily… part of them hoped that Widowmaker was still alive. They wanted to be the ones to take everything away from her.

“In some ways it was clear to me, to all of us, that Lena was never satisfied knowing that people were suffering around her. And looking back I… I think that something like this may have been inevitable. Sooner or later something would have broken and she would have gone her own way to help in whatever way she thought necessary.” He smiled, laughing gently, “She never was one for rules was she?”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a weathered old book, the pages yellowed and falling apart, the cover cracked and torn. This was a very old book, and from the tears welling up in Winston’s eyes, one that he treasured dearly.

“Lena gave this to me years ago, she said that for how smart I was that I was really lacking in the literature department.” Those gathered laughed, Winston closed his eyes and chuckled, “I found that funny too. I wanted…”

He stopped, lip quivering and his hand tightening around the podium. When he spoke next his tone was thick and shaking, “I wanted to read you a verse from one of her favorite poems. I asked her so many times why it was her favorite but she… she never gave me a reason. She just said that something about it spoke to her, something that she couldn’t put her finger on. With everything that happened… I think that I finally understand.”

Clearing his throat and exhaling, he spoke steadily,

_“Turning and turning in the widening gyre_

_The falcon cannot hear the falconer;_

_Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;_

_Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,_

_The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere_

_The ceremony of innocence is drowned;_

_The best lack all conviction, while the worst_

_Are full of passionate intensity.”_

Winston closed the book, placing it back in his jacket and looking back up at everyone, letting his tears fall freely now. “She read that to me over and over again. I thought it was beautiful, but then I don’t think I understood why she read it so much. I don’t know if she did either, I don’t believe that any of us will ever truly know just what our friend was thinking back then _or_ recently. I don’t know if we’ll ever be sure we knew Lena as well as we thought we did.”

He looked past the casket, taking in the smiling visage on the framed photograph sitting behind it, in happier days back before the fall, when everything seemed… simpler. Winston shook his head sadly, and sighed, “But I do know this; we were lucky to have known Lena, lucky to have fought by her side… and we will all miss her so, so much.”

 

Of the old guard of Overwatch, Reinhardt was the only one of the old soldiers to make an appearance. While no one knew about the role that Jack and Ana had played in the events of today, it was their mission and their secrets that had led to it, something that no one there was going to forget so easily. Lena had betrayed them that night, but she was not the only one to do so. It would be a very long time before they were forgiven for that, and in Fareeha’s case she didn’t know if she was willing to give her mother another chance. There was only so much pain she could take.

“I am sorry little ones,” He said, holding Fareeha and Hana close. “I know the pain of losing loved ones, of feeling like there was more that you could have done, but she was lucky to have had you as comrades. I doubt that she ever thought otherwise.”

“It’s not what we could have done,” Fareeha said, eyes hard as she looked at her smiling photograph. “It’s what we can still do, who there still is who can answer for this.”

“Talon has bases all over the world, who knows how many people working behind the scenes,” Hana said, “I couldn’t see it before but… maybe Lena was right. Look at what she managed to do to Talon and the Humanity League in only a couple of months.”

Fareeha looked over at her, while Reinhardt creased his brow in concern. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that I’ve been AWOL for a few months already, I’m already a criminal.” She dug her fingers into her palm, nails breaking the skin. “What does it matter if I start fighting dirtier?”

“Hana…” Reinhardt laid his hand on her shoulder. “Whatever it is you are thinking, fighting like them is not the right thing to do. We must be _better.”_

“I don’t care about being better, I care about killing them. For Lena, for everything I’ve seen them do… I’m tired of seeing them get away with it.” She looked at Fareeha, arching her eyebrow in question. “What about you? Are you in?”

Fareeha thought for a few moments, shutting out Reinhardt’s pleading eyes and feeling the answer in her heart. “Yeah,” She said, “I’m in.”

 

“It was a nice ceremony,” Satya said, walking the grounds with Angela and Zenyatta. “These occasions are always saddening but… there can often be beauty in the midst of tragedy.”

Zenyatta hummed in agreement, “From the conversations that we shared, I believe that Lena would agree with you. The tragedy of death and the sweetness of remembrance often form something incredible.”

“Forgive me if I’m having a hard time finding the sweet part of this occasion.” Angela stepped in front of them, leaning against the railing of the cliffside. “I see beauty in life, not in death. Today… today I had to accept that I have lost a friend, there is nothing beautiful about that.”

“Angela…” Satya said, stepping forward and taking her hand. “Just because there is beauty does not mean that there isn’t pain. I may not have known her as well as you did but… her loss weighs heavily on me, on _all_ of us, if I could do something to bring her back I would in an instant but…”

“But the only one who has managed to do that is me.” Angela frowned, shaking her head. “And now I cannot even do that much.”

“No one knows what happened after one dies,” Zenyatta said, “For all my teachings and studies I must admit that not even I know for sure. But there is comfort in hoping that she is at peace now.”

Angela clenched her jaw, staring down at the crashing waves below them. “All I know is that in some way, we all failed her. Not listening to her… not noticing anything was changing… whatever it was, we all played some role in this. As tempting as it is to blame someone else we need to accept that.”

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose between her fingers. “I don’t blame Emily for holding a private ceremony, I’m not sure I would want to see any of us either.”

“Is there anything we can do for her?” Satya asked, “Anything to ease her pain?”

“I reached out to her yesterday, she told me in no uncertain terms that she never wants to see any of us ever again. That’s what we can do for her, we can actually _listen_ for a change.”

Guiding them down to the ground, Zenyatta held their hands at his sides. For a moment, in the gentle breeze and with the sound of the ocean so clear, things weren’t so bad.

 

“Funerals…” Jesse said, whiskey burning in his throat as he watched the casket being lowered into the ground. “I swear I thought I was done with all this shit.”

Genji took the bottle from him, taking a swig of his own and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. “The candle that burns the brightest… I wish I recognized when one of those sayings was coming true.”

Jesse huffed a laugh, snatching the bottle back to have something to swallow the lump in his throat down with. “She was a good kid, a better person than I ever was. Hell, probably a better person than you are too.”

“Oh of course, let’s not forget that I grew up in a crime family after all. You should have seen some of the things I got up to on the weekend back then.”

“I think I remember some of the Blackwatch parties just fine thank you very much, still shocked they let you keep a sword on base.”

Genji gave a mock gasp, “You can’t blame me for the way that _all_ those parties went! One time it was Cass…” He trailed off, not wanting to bring up yet another dead friend when they were already mourning enough. “Whatever, even then I’m sure Lena could have outdrunk us both.”

“Woah now, let’s not give her _too_ much credit! I’m mighty good at holdin’ my drink, enough to go toe to toe with the best!”

“Sure Jesse,” He said, taking the bottle back. “You keep telling yourself that.”

The minutes passed between them silently, bottle being passed back and forth as they avoided speaking. There was only so much they could deflect before things got too heavy for them, and they wanted to have at least some time before that where they could pretend everything was alright.

Eventually though, one of them had to break the silence. “Where are you goin’ after this Genji?”

“After this?” Genji asked, looking up at the sky. “I was… going to travel I think. Clear my head, and my heart.”

Jesse nodded, taking a deep gulp of whiskey and scowling at the burn. “I’m comin’ with you. I think… I think I’m done. I think I’m finally done with all this.”

“All of this?” Genji asked, “What do you mean?”

“All of it, Overwatch, pretendin’ to be a hero… it’s all just a fuckin’ show.” He turned his head away, sniffing and not wanting Genji to see the tears that he was wiping away. “I’m tired of buryin’ friends Genji. I’m tired of seeing them die for nothin’.”

Genji didn’t know how to reply, so he didn’t. He just took Jesse’s hand, squeezed tightly and nodded.

“Ok,” He said, “We can leave tomorrow.”

 

After the initial surgery and a small recovery period Talon had transferred Lena and Amelie to Rome at Moira’s insistence, the medical facilities there set up to more efficiently monitor their… unique bodily systems. Given the damage to her accelerator they had needed to implant a rudimentary version directly into her chest that they had drawn blueprints for long ago, a forgotten relic from a series of failed experiments to try and make their own legion of soldiers with her powers. She’d certainly been surprised to see Lena Oxton of all people laying in a Talon facility, but answers to her questions could be found later.

Throughout the whole process Gabriel and Sombra had never left their sides, restless nights spent pacing and praying until it was time to move them, and even then they didn’t leave until the two patients had been shuffled off into the facility and they were called away to a meeting.

It seemed that word of their activities had already spread to the upper levels, which meant they had a very serious conversation ahead of them.

“Let me do the talking,” Gabriel said, side-eyeing Sombra. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but things are already bad enough without you pissing him off.”

“What?” She asked, “When have I ever pissed anyone off?”

He rolled his eyes, stopping in front of the office door. “Ha ha. You ready?”

Sombra nodded, squaring her shoulders and putting on a serious face. “Ready as I’ll ever be boss.”

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel pushed the door open, paying no heed to the four guards pointing their guns at him as he walked deeper into the room. “Vialli,” He said, “What do you need to talk to me about?”

“Oh?” Vialli said, looking up from his desk. “That’s a bold question to ask, a better question would be what _don’t_ I have to talk to you about? It seems that you’re the source of _many_ questions around the base as of late.”

“Look Viallli, listen-”

“No, _you_ listen! I want to understand why I have to be woken up at three in the morning to find out that you’ve not only captured a kill-on-sight target, but that you threatened one of our staff to save her life!” He stood up sharply, pushing the chair back against the wall. “Then I come to find out that one of our board members, one of the few we have left mind you, was murdered that very night by the _very_ same people that you took it upon yourself to defend. Tell me Reyes, what part of that am I misunderstanding? What brilliant part of your masterplan have I misinterpreted?”

Gabriel growled at the nearest guard, almost succeeding in getting them to lower their weapon before they thought better of it. If things went bad he could almost certainly get out of this, it was just a matter of how much it was going to hurt.

“You’re not misunderstanding anything, Lena Oxton was wounded, I brought her in. After I helped her murder Marco Bartalotti and Ellara Robertson, as well as using my already existing team to kill Alejandro Fernandez and systematically dismantle the Humanity League.” He shrugged. “I don’t know if you were aware of that part, but the cat’s out of the bag now.”

_“Why?”_ Vialli hissed, “What would _possibly_ possess you to think any of that was a remotely acceptable idea?”

“Because the three of them were leading this organization into the fucking ground, that’s why. Anti-Omnic extremism? _Public_ assassinations of leading figures?” He flicked his head at the nervous guards. “Not to mention that Marco’s soldier’s aren’t worth the bullets they take on the regular. The only way Talon has a future is without them at the helm.”

Vialli froze mid-word, finger still held up while he tried to process the admission. He’d been expecting a power play, maybe a petty grudge not… a consideration of the future. “You… killed senior management, dismantled a profitable avenue in the Humanity League and consorted with a sworn enemy of Talon to… _save_ Talon?”

“I also didn’t like any of them very much, if that makes you feel better about believing me.” He leaned forward, hands digging into the wood of the desk and the rifles cocking around him. “And I don’t like the idea of anyone being sold into slavery, which is why the HL had to go. It’d do well to remember that.”

“I can’t say I have a particular affinity for the slave trade, the profits are nice but the necessary expenses eat into that more than you would believe.” Vialli smiled the practiced smile of a businessman. “We can do without those lanes, what we _cannot_ do without is someone in charge around here. Profits can take you only so far after all.”

“Why not you? It’s not like we have anyone else competent around here.”

“Thank you for the… ringing endorsement Reyes, I’ll bring up the possibility in the next meeting. The numbers are going to be a bit lighter than we were used to though.”

Gabriel rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever. Is this meeting over yet?”

“Not quite yet.” Vialli took his seat again, running a hand through his hair. “The girl, Oxton. Why save her? Her purpose was done, don’t you think?”

“Some of the plans were her idea Vialli, she’s got a real knack for this sort of stuff. All I had to do was tell her what it was I hoped to achieve with the HL and she was right on board, to a… really surprising degree actually.”

“Well that certainly explains why she stuck around with you before, but why now? Now that they’re gone what reason does she have to not just go back to Overwatch and continue her campaign against us?”

“Who do you think shot her in the first place?” He huffed a laugh at Vialli’s confused expression. “Yeah, that’s what I thought too. There’s no place left at Overwatch for her, not now, but if we change this organization, if we make it something _better_ than what it was before…”

“You flipped her?” Vialli said, plainly astonished, “You managed to sit down with the poster-girl for Overwatch, one of the beacons of optimism in our modern age… and you managed to flip her.”

“I just listened to what she wanted, and I helped her get it. You’d be surprised what people will do for you when you listen.”

Vialli hummed in thought, “Amazing, truly amazing. I can definitely see why you would have to go dark on something like this, a plan to flip such a prolific enemy agent and to kill such prominent members of our board… would not be well received by many until it was done. Still,” He chuckled, “I would appreciate being kept in the loop from now on Reyes, we’re on the same team here. We need to cooperate.”

Sombra scoffed beside Gabriel, himself already wincing at her breaking silence. “Balls in your court Vialli, show us that you can handle everything first.”

He smiled, that same smile on his face even as his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. “Very funny. Well I suppose everything is in order, though not in a way that I ever would have considered. But that’s the excitement of life right?” He waved them off. “You can see yourselves out.”

Gabriel turned away without another word, grabbing Sombra by the shoulder and dragging her out with him. It was only once they were out in the hallway with the doors closed securely behind them that he let go. “What did I tell you about being quiet?”

“Nothing, you said to let you do the talking, that’s not the same thing.” She poked her tongue out at him. “Besides, it worked out in the end right?”

“Yeah, I guess it did...” He looked back at the doors and scowled. “I’d love to have put his head through the wall.”

“Me too, but right now we’ve gotta play ball.” She slapped his shoulder, smiling widely. “Besides, we’ve got some friends to visit.”

 

The medical wing was only a short walk away, hallways changing from a slate gray to a sterile white and personnel changing from business suits to hospital scrubs. The guard presence only increased however, likely as a result of them having such a prolific patient staying for the foreseeable future.

“Don’t know how I’m going to explain all of this to the two of them,” Gabriel said, stopping in front of Amelie’s door. “I guess we’ll just play this by ear huh?”

“Wow, the big, bad Gabriel Reyes going in without a plan,” Sombra laughed, shoving him lightly. “Stop being such a pussy, go in already!”

Shaking his head fondly, he pushed the door open, the cool, sterile air of the hospital room rushing past him. He hated hospitals, had spent enough time in them before and… just after his transformation to last a lifetime, but the sight of that amazing, blue skinned woman sitting up in bed and looking out the window was enough to push all of that to the side.

“Ah, Gabriel,” Moira said from off to the side, just looking up from her notes. “How surprising, I wasn’t expecting a visit from you today. Come to check on the patient have we?”

“I wanted to see how my friend was doing, no amount of Vialli’s bullshit was ever going to stop that from happening.” He stepped forward, greeting Amelie with a wide smile and placing his hand on her shoulder. “Hey kid, it’s been a while. How are you holding up?”

“I am functional.”

“What?” He said, pinching his brow together and trying to get her to look at him. “Hey Amelie come on, what’s wrong?”

Amelie turned, eyes blank and movements robotic, the barest tilt of her head preventing her from looking like a mannequin. “My condition is damaged, I am only operating at forty percent efficiency.”

Sombra gasped in horror from behind him, recognizing the look in her eyes a second before he did. Once he did he stumbled back in shock, letting go of her shoulder like it was physically burning him. Once the initial moment passed he turned to Moira, voice low and his eyes narrowed. “What did you do?”

“I understand this must be frustrating,” She said, not looking up from her notes. “Don’t worry, she’s at baseline right now but she should be functional soon enough.”

Gabriel marched up, smacking the notes from her hands and wrapping his hand around her throat, pushing her backwards until her back was against the wall and her toes were just barely touching the ground. _“Why?”_ He growled, “Why did you have to reset her?”

Moira stared down at him without a hint of fear, only a touch of annoyance at her notes being scattered. “Please, I assumed that you were an adult Gabriel. A weapon system like her with rampant, unstable emotions? We cannot have that and still be secure.”

“But we were!” He yelled, desperation leaching into his voice, “She’s been normal for… for months! She was still with us even then you didn’t… you didn’t have to reset her!”

“Really?” She hummed, looking down at the impassive Widowmaker with interest. “How curious, we may have to look into that later. As of right now there is no use in worrying about it, all her memories have been wiped again. Right now you’re just talking to a blank slate.”

“You _bitch!”_ Sombra pulled out her sidearm, disengaging the safety and pointing it between Moira’s eyes. When all she received in response was a smirk she considered pulling the trigger right then and there.

_“Please,”_ Moira drawled, “Don’t be so childish. Let’s not forget who is best suited to be in charge of their well being after all.”

Gabriel let her down, hand falling from her throat and covering his eyes. “Goddammit…”

Moira took one last look at him, rubbing her throat and picking her notes up off the ground. “You’re getting far too attached Gabriel,” She said, opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. “For your sanity I suggest you don’t go and see Oxton.”

The door closed behind her, leaving them alone with a blank Widowmaker and the dawning realization of what she had just said.

“Oxton…” Gabriel said, heart dropping as he sprinted to the door, Sombra in tow. “No, no no no…”

He slammed the door open, sprinting down the hallways as fast as he could, footsteps echoing off the walls as he passed the skeleton crew of orderlies milling around, the number of staff permitted in the high security wing far less to lower the chances of an incident. The guards who replaced them knew better than to stand in his way, though by the look on his face they were aware that even that may not save them.

“Where’s the prisoner?” He asked one of them, shoving them back into the wall when they didn’t answer immediately. _“Where?”_

“Down the hall and to the right sir, east wing!”

“Kozlov’s wing?” He said, picking up the pace even more. “Fuck!”

It wasn’t hard to find her room after that, the hallway had as many guards as were stationed in some entire wings of the base, none of them wanting to take any chances with someone as prolific as her, bullet wound in the chest or no. He stopped in front of her observation window, relieved to see that she was still in one piece… and dismayed at what he saw.

Her room looked normal enough, a standard bed, standard gown, everything looked normal at first glance. Then he looked higher, seeing the helmet covering her eyes and noticing the minute twitching of her fingers, unconscious movements in response to the device on her head attempting to alter her brain waves. Knowing what he knew about the device… knowing what it did to Amelie… it was going to eventually do more than just attempt.

“Gabriel Reyes, in the flesh!” He turned his head, observing the doctor walking up to him. “Well, perhaps not flesh, but you get my meaning!”

Gabriel grabbed him by the shoulders quicker than any of the could breath, flinging him to the side into the window so hard the reinforced glass splintered. Sombra’s weapon was out and up before any of the guards could think about doing anything, the entire hallway seemingly at a stalemate.

“Leave us…” Gabriel said, _“Now!”_

After a moment’s hesitation the guards marched off, turning a blind eye to his treatment of the doctor and just considering themselves lucky that they were getting the chance to live another day. If that meant someone else didn’t then… that was just bad luck.

“Why are you doing this to her?” Gabriel said, leaning in so close his breath misted Kozlov’s glasses. “Of all the things you could have done, why _this?”_

Kozlov only looked confused, as though the answer was already obvious. “Up until recently she was an agent of Overwatch, you were there to witness that yourself. If she is to be working here well… it would be best to get rid of any preconceptions that she had before, wouldn’t you agree? She’ll only be more efficient this way, doing the procedure while the subject is unconscious helps us avoid any… messy situations like in the beginning with Widowmaker.”

Kozlov adjusted himself, only wincing momentarily at the glass dust scraping against his skin. “I really must thank you for bringing her here, I so rarely get to work on anyone as impressive as her. I think we’ll be able to do some amazing things here.”

“Give me _one_ reason why I shouldn’t kill you right here and now,” Gabriel said, hand going to the weapon at his side. “Why shouldn’t I just scatter you all over this hallway?”

“Because in spite of the meatheaded reputation of your soldiers, and the unconventional way that your team members carry themselves, you are not stupid.” He smirked. “I broke her, but I also know how to fix her. Is that not reason enough?”

Gabriel held him against the window, fist clenched and aching to split his head open. But the bigger part of him, the _smarter_ part of him let his hold go limp, the doctor stepping free and brushing the dust from his coat.

“A pleasure as always Gabriel, Sombra.” He walked down the hallway like a man who felt himself invincible, and it hurt Gabriel to admit that he very well may be. As long as the lives of those two women were in Moira and Kozlov’s hands… he couldn’t do anything at all.

The thought of that infuriated him.

“Jesus Gabriel,” Sombra said, looking into the room at the comatose Lena. “What did we do?”

He straightened up, breathing starting to quicken with every second that passed by. “We lost Sombra. We tried our best, we tried to do what we thought was right… and we lost. And now they’re the ones paying the price.”

“Overwatch almost killed her,” She said, clenching her fists in slowly bubbling anger. “We just helped finish the job.”

“God _dammit!”_ Gabriel howled, fist smashing through the already splintered glass and shattering it in the frame. “She tried to do the right thing, tried to be good, and _this_ is where it got her!”

He looked through the cracks in the glass, eyes blazing redder by the second and black smoke starting to drift off his body. “They think that we’re monsters don’t they? They tried to kill her because they thought she was working with monsters, and now we’re trying to turn her into a monster herself.”

Under any other circumstance Sombra would find herself worried by Gabriel’s anger, but not today. Not with what was in front of her. Today… today she was only agreeing.

“Fine,” He said, “If they think we’re monsters, I’ll show them what a monster can do. I’ll show them what she was better than, and I’ll make every one of them regret thinking they could make her into one as well.”

“Who?” Sombra asked, surprised at the amount of hatred in her tone and in her reflection.

“All of them, Overwatch… Talon…” Gabriel said, voice deepening with every twitch of Lena’s body that he saw.

“We’re going to kill them all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Descriptions of medical damage (gunshot wounds etc.), reference to slave trade, medical experimentation
> 
> Well here it is, the final chapter to this story that went on for far more months than I thought it would. This was supposed to be a one-shot, can you believe that now? My first writing for Overwatch and here we are over a year and 17 other stories later, it's been one hell of a journey.
> 
> Now if this seems like an overwhelmingly tragic ending to this story, that's because it is... to this story. But really it might be more appropriate to consider this a... prologue of sorts, the real story has yet to begin after all. Ana and Jack's lie, Hana and Fareeha's vendetta, Sombra and Gabriel's vow for revenge... Lena in service of Talon. I'd say we're just getting started. I hope that you'll be there to see it.
> 
> As always you can follow me on Tumblr [here](https://genderfluidintake.tumblr.com), and Twitter  
> [here](https://twitter.com/TheFluidWriter). I'm actually part of an upcoming Overwatch fanzine, I should be reblogging some stuff about that on my Tumblr soon, check it out!
> 
> I love each one of you who has read this story, even the ones who haven't left comments and just read quietly from the sidelines. Thank you, to everyone for staying with me on this journey. See you on the next <3


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